


Lingering Fragments

by MsYakumo



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous-Gender Frisk, Bad Puns, Beware the man from the other world, Beware the man who speaks in hands, But he's trying, Canon-Typical Violence, Chara Has Issues, Chara Needs a Hug, Chara Redemption, Chara Swearing, Child Frisk, Don't trust the dog, Elements of storyshift, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Needs A Hug, Female Chara, Flowey Is A Dick, Frisk Needs A Hug, Get your permission slips because we goin' on a feels trip, I tried to keep them organized but they're a mess, Maybe a bit of blood as well, Minor references to past abuse, Multi, Older Chara, POV First Person, Sans Needs A Hug, Selectively Mute Frisk, Self-Doubt, Slight worldbuilding, Soft Chara, Spoilers - Undertale Genocide Route, Spoilers - Undertale Pacifist Route, knee deep in the headcanon, not so slight worldbuilding, ok so maybe not so ambiguous, sometimes it's ok to stab a fool, tags are spoiler riddled, warning: things may get cheesy or feels filled
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 23:19:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 56,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7911451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsYakumo/pseuds/MsYakumo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The game had been rigged from the start. In the end there was no true win scenario. A world warped into a trap to string them along until they broke and hold them just short of a happy ending. Someone always had to stay behind, and thus everything would reset to zero. There was a chance at a way to move forward however... by looking backwards. So they gambled the highest stakes of all on a simple questions. Is a god truly above consequences?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Echoes of the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A child runs from their past. However their past is always at their side. Despair not though, for the past can be the key to the future. Even at your lowest, there can still be hope. Stay determined, this is not the end.

* * *

 

"A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory... a far-off memory that's like a scattered dream... I want to line the pieces up... yours and mine."  
\- Shiro Amano

* * *

 

  
    Tearing myself from my slumber, soaked in sweat, I pulled the tattered jacket I wore closer to myself. It'd be dawn soon, but the moon still hung out for the moment. A fat pale gibbous thing.  
  
Getting up from the dusty wooden floor of the abandoned house I was making use of, moonlight pouring in through the window and the smell of mildew hung in the air. It wouldn't be much further before I reached my destination.  
  
I was a person who had run from home... If you could call it home. I couldn't have been much older than 14 by now, but I remembered overhearing tales over the years of that mountain which now loomed out the cracked window like an eternal sentinel. Mt. Ebott. No one went there for a happy reason... and no one came back. As if I cared. I was determined to disappear from the world as well.  Not like anyone would miss me.  
  
Taking a moment to check my beat up tote bag and take stock of my supplies, I counted everything out. About a day's worth more of food and a half-dozen bottles of water, some of it stolen. Three big fat chocolate bars as well, a personal weakness of mine. I tore into one of them. Small comforts. You learned to cling to those.  
  
I didn't know my birth parents really. I didn't care to, given what little I'd pieced together. Not that the orphanage was much better. If it had been I wouldn't have been making this trek obviously. They could all rot, for all I cared.  
  
The small but steady spread of warmth from the chocolate set my frayed nerves at ease as I took a moment to stare at an age worn wall and reflect upon my nightmare. Unconsciously I played with the utility knife I'd stolen. Some cheap KA-BAR knockoff that one of the orphanage staff was particularly proud of and would show off despite it clearly being something which should have gotten them fired.  Lord knows why they had it, but it was mine now, and it's weight gave me strange comfort.  
  
While I was eating, my thoughts wandered to a nightmare I had been having for some time now. A terrible burning pain filled my throat, like I'd swallowed pure acid. Not far off voices begged and pleaded to me, voices with an uncomfortable familiarity. They filled me with crushing guilt... But there was no turning back now... right?  
  
Crack. Unthinkingly I'd snapped the chocolate bar in my hand in half. In my thinking state I had tightened my grip far too much and now crumbled fragments and melted chocolate stained my hand. It was enough to give me pause, as if my mind was trying to discern some deeper meaning from the mess of chocolate and caramel which clung to my fingers.  
  
Pushing the thought aside I licked the mess off and set off into the world once more from the abandoned shack that served as shelter for a time. Gradually the mountain grew in size as I approached, sticking to back roads and dirt paths which eventually gave way to innumerable trees.  
  
By this time my lungs had started to become raw and a stitch at developed in my side. I only took a moment to rest before pressing on in spite of this. By now I was certain something awaited me at the mountain. Something drew me here now. Some strange feeling that it was meant to be I come here.  
  
The dirt path stopped at an old gate with a weathered no trespassing sign plastered across it. Something to do with the supposed disappearances no doubt. I was fairly sure whatever awaited me was better than back 'there' however. And besides, it seemed that some idiot forgot to put a lock on the gate so there was no excuse to turn back.  
  
A chill breeze rustled through the ancient trees as I touched a hand against the old gate to open it. An even icier chill ran down my spine at that moment though. It felt, at least for a brief instance, as if someone was watching me. Shrugging the feeling off I pressed onward, giving the gate a push which caused it to creak loudly.  
  
From that point there was virtually no path to follow anymore, so I set forth with only my instincts to guide me. Twice the feeling of being watched returned, so I clutched the knife in one hand close to me. It filled me with determination to finish what I set out to do. After that the feelings stopped.  
  
The ancient woods groaned softly around me as who knows how much time passed. Smelled like old sod and worms. As I climbed higher, the trees thinned. Eventually I reached an outcropping above the forest. Looking out over it I could see it was almost night again and the sunset shown over the vast forest around the mountain and the town beyond that. It would have been a beautiful sight if I was in a better mood.  
  
I turned to resume climbing, only to pause. A cave mouth loomed ahead of me. Had it been there before and I just hadn't noticed it in my haste? It would server as a good shelter before I continued tomorrow at least. Proceeding inwards, my skin prickled slightly like my clothes had suddenly become statically charged. Strange, but easily ignored.  
  
Vines seemed to have made the interior of the cave a very comfortable home strangely. Like thick green serpents they wound through it, emerging from walls and floor and twisting in strange ways. How did they survive with little sunlight?  
  
I didn't have much time to think about it as my foot caught on a particularly thick one, and I stumbled, throwing my hands out to catch myself. It was a rough fall and my hands stung painfully. I swore viciously under my breath as I pushed myself sitting and checked my hands.  
  
They where definitely scraped up and bits of rubble stuck in them which I took a moment to pick off before resuming my investigation. If there'd been a drop there it could have ended badly. Not that I was of the mind to care too much either way truth told. I came here to escape. I didn't come here to survive.  
  
I wasn't going to be the coward that offed themselves. Whatever happened happened. My thoughts where derailed by the scent of flowers from deeper in. I allowed my curiosity to guide me once more. By now my eyes where more adjusted to the dim cave. To my surprise there was a sizable hole in the middle of the cave chamber. It didn't seem natural... and it was the source of the smell.  
  
Against my better judgement I moved to the edge of the pit to try and see what was inside. At that moment a terrible sense of deja vu (and perhaps just a bit of pain as well) lanced through my skull. Had I been here before? Had this all happened before? My head hurt and the world spun. Dizzy and confused, I lost my balance.  
  
I was falling now. Right into the pit. Yep, this was definitely happening now. And honestly? I couldn't muster up the energy to care. I was pretty much fucked. Blame the Orphanage owners to teaching me that lovely word. I at least had the good sense to reserve it for when it really should be used.  
  
Now the question was how painful the landing would be? I'd heard it was both extremely painful, if quick or completely painless. I kinda hoped it didn't hurt. Well at least I'd get to know for sure which was true now. Wow, that ground sure was approaching awfully fa-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh? You're still reading this? Well howdy! I'm afraid this is my first attempt at a fan fiction so hopefully it's enjoyable so far! Feel free to leave feedback. It really helps a lot.


	2. The bonds that transcend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A child finds that the world is far larger than themselves. It can be a frightening thing... but despite everything there is warmth in it. Sometimes the ties that bind are not of blood, but something more. You are not alone.

    "...Ah! Is someone here?" .... "Oh no. A-are you alright?" ..... "Hey. Don't give up. You're going to be ok. Take my hand" That voice. Had I heard it before? It sounded like a young boy. Something about it filled me with... determination. I opened my eyes.  
  
Only to find I was alone. Where had that voice come from? Who did it belong to? I desperately needed to know. I pushed myself up slowly, wracking my brain to try and dig something loose from it. All I did was make my headache worse.  
  
How on earth was I still alive? My hands brushed against something soft and damp. Glancing down I realized that I was in a large bed of flowers. I didn't know the specific name of them but most people called them 'golden flowers'. A bunch of them grew in the town center and I kinda liked them. Did they cushion my fall somehow? They where pretty little things, and it almost felt a shame that I had crushed some.  
  
Still sore but alive, I had nothing better to do than set forth and get a feel for my surroundings. Second verse, same as the first. Another cavern, albeit somehow better lit. A few broken pillars littered the area, confirming my suspicion that the hole wasn't wholly natural. Heh, I made a funny...  
  
Further back was carved archway with a tunnel leading further back. My only way out it seemed. Not even a few steps toward it something caught my ear. "Hey!" I stopped a moment. Did I just hear someone? I didn't see anyone here though. Maybe it was my imagination? I must have knocked my head good. Shrugging I started again.  
  
"Heeey!" And there it was again. "Hey! Down here, dumbo!" Deciding to look down to see who had the nerve to say that all I noticed was another golden flower on a small mount of dir- Waiiit a minute. The flower had a face of all things. Almost comically cartoony appearing with a wide sickeningly sweet smile. I didn't like it already.  
  
"Oh good. You have ears after all. Howdy! I'm Flowey! Flowey the flower!" Flowey the flower? Seriously?! If I didn't like the thing before now I REALLY didn't like it. If I was dead and this was heaven, Flowey wasn't exactly doing the afterlife any favors. If this was hell, eh, they could probably do worse.  
  
Not discounting the possibility that the unusual animate flower might just be the byproduct of a nasty concussion, I decided to play along and humor them though. So I made an attempt at a smile. "Flowey, huh? Well howdy yourself." The flower's cheer never wavered an inch, like it's smile was caught in amber. That smile was starting to feel mighty empty. " My, you're a friendly sort. I like you already! Remind me of an old friend actually."  
  
Oh great. I reminded the flower freak of someone. I reached for the knife so I could have it handy in case the flower tried something funny or I felt like doing some weeding. Except the knife was gone. Where did the knife go? A cold chill ran down my spine in an instant. Without giving me a chance to protest, the puerile flower continued to talk unbidden. "Well, either way someone's gotta teach you the way of the underground. Might as well be little ol' me, right?"  
  
All I had time to do was open my mouth and make a stupid sound. "Uhhhh-" In an instant my perception of the world around me somehow changed, and a glowing red heart appeared in front of me. Not an anatomically correct one by small fortune, it still was enough to shock me into silence. "See that heart? That's you're soul! The culmination of your very being! Ain't it a beaut?"  
  
Well. The flower just called my soul pretty. That was... sort of flattering? I didn't particularly like that it was so exposed right now after he explained just how important it was. "You're soul starts off weak, but can grow stronger if you gain a lot of LV!"  
  
LV? What was he getting at? The flower was making it sound like this was some sort of game. As if to answer my question he continued. " What does LV stand for? Why, LOVE, of course! You want some LOVE, don't you?" My stomach roiled at the way he said 'love'. It felt... wrong. VERY wrong.  
  
"Well don't worry buddy, I'll share some with you!" With a wink, the flower called forth a number of swirling white oval pellets. "Down here LOVE is shared through... little white... 'Friendliness pellets.'" Now I knew the flower was screwing with me. There was nothing friendly about the way he said that.  
  
"Are you ready? Move around! Get as many as you can~!" Like hell I would. The moment the pellets approached I moved my soul around them. Note to self: The flower's one hell of a liar. Some annoyance briefly flashed across their face. "Hey buddy, you missed them. Let's try this again, alright? I know you can do it!" Oh come on...  
  
I avoided them again, of course. Just to spite him. I can be quite a vindictive lady when I want to be. "Oh. So it seems you know what's going on here." The expression of the flower changed... dramatically. It was not a pleasant face. A demon's face. Oh dear. I missed my knife already. " I might like you kid. But that doesn't mean I won't do this!" A huge mass of Flowey's 'friendliness pellets' formed around my soul. No where to move. Oh come on. The least I could do is not be murdered by a flower of all things.  
  
"Die." And so the bullets closed in slowly as the flower cackled. I was so focused on the flower I didn't notice a ball of fire come out of nowhere and blast the wretched thing, dissipating the pellets and sending the terror flying. From the shadows a womanly voice spoke which struck a cord with me. "What a terrible creature, torturing a poor, innocent youth like that."  
  
The tall figure approached enough to be more visible and... her appearance was quite a surprise to be sure. Like something out of the ancient legends of monsters. A tall woman bearing caprid features, though her eyes where distinctly un-goatlike and warm, and in place of hooves she had large warm looking paws. A long robe adorned her as well. It was... quite pretty really.  
  
"Are you alright, my child?" I gave a hesitant nod, still taking in her appearance. It was a bit of a shock to the system seeing another intelligent being that wasn't human. Somehow I felt safe around her though. Safe. That was a feeling I hadn't felt in a very long time. I wondered why I felt it with her?  
  
"Fear not. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins, and..." She trailed off, hesitating a moment as she looked at me. Almost as if she was looking through me and had seen a ghost. It passed quickly though. "You are the first human to fall down here in a very very long time..." It wasn't hard to see there was some melancholy there when she said that.  
  
"Come. Take my hand. I will guide you through the ruins." Feeling too tired to protest, I accepted. A small part of me relished the idea anyways. Why fight it? I placed my hand in her's and it was as soft and warm as I imagined. "This way."  
  
We stopped in a small room. Several rows of raised stone buttons sat on the floor in one corner with a lever on the wall. On the other wall was a sign. The door deeper in was locked. A puzzle of some sort? It was like I had walked into a video game. "Allow me to teach you in the operation of the ruins." With that she walked on the 4 outermost buttons and pulled the lever, opening the way. I took a moment to read the sign. -Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones, Both walk not the middle path-  
  
Huh. That made sense in the context of the puzzle. The middle buttons where unpressed. Good as a hint. However I couldn't help to feel it meant something deeper as well. My train of through was drawn away by Toriel speaking again. " The ruins are full of puzzles. Ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. One must solve them to move from room to room. Please adjust yourself to the sight of them." So puzzles where a commonality down here, huh? I would need to get used to them I guess. I nodded to her and so we continued.  
  
And so I followed her through the winding halls of the ruins. Dark purple stone work of an impressive sort which clearly stood the test of time. Fall-like leaves covered the ground in places. Small streams I found, also passed through the ruins. "Welcome to your new home, my child." New home, huh? I... liked the sound of that actually. Not like I had anything better to do.  
  
As we progressed, Toriel took the time to tutor me on each new puzzle we would come across to proceed deeper into the ruins. Many of them where quite simple and rudimentary though. Still I appreciated her enthusiasm if nothing else. After a moment we stopped in a room with a lone dummy of sorts in it.  
  
"As a human living in the underground, monsters may attack you. You will need to prepare for this situation." No shit, Toriel. I nearly got murdered by the world's most spiteful flower. God I wish I had a knife now. "However worry not! The process is simple. When you encounter a monster, you will enter a fight." Unbidden, my mind thought back to the tugging sensation of my soul becoming exposed. Was that... was a fight was like down here?  
  
Toriel gave a calm smile. "While you are in a fight, strike up a friendly conversation!" I just blinked at her dumbly. Finally getting a chance to get a word in, I spoke. "Excuse me but.. what?" She still kept that patient smile. "A conversation. You'd be surprised. The main point however is to stall for time so I may come and resolve the conflict." She motioned a hand to the dummy. "Practice talking to it."  
  
Now this... was a bit of an absurd situation. However it felt that disappointing her would be even worse. I trusted her. More than anyone else I knew at least. Which is kinda crazy since I only just met her like an hour ago. Approaching the dummy I took a breath, and nearly shouted in surprise as my soul appeared in front of me. I was in a fight with... the dummy?  
  
Now that I was in a more controlled fight than I was with the damn flower, I was more aware of what I could do myself. I could... well... fight of course. I could perform a number of actions. I could use items which might help me. Or I could spare them.  
  
I decided to check the dummy. -Dummy HP: 15 Def: 0 Atk: 0,  A cotton heart and a button eye.\- And somehow I knew more about it than I probably should have. Strange. Still, I should focus on the task at hand. So I talked to it. " Um... hey. So nice meeting you here, huh?" Seemed the dummy wasn't much for conversation. "...Huh. Pretty wooden, aren't we?" This prompted an amused laugh from Toriel, who seemed pleased with the outcome.  
  
In an instant the 'fight' ended and my soul vanished to... where ever it goes. "Ah. Very good, my child. You did well." Her praise filled me with warmth. With that we proceeded deeper once again. Along the way I took a moments pause. A strange creature had caught my eye. Another monster?  
  
It looked like a white frog. Only its two front feet where visible, with three black dots on its chest. Between its two front feet is what appeared to be some small black creature with a rounded mouth and eyes that excessively blinked. It would be almost cute if it where not for the fact it had just pulled me into a fight.  
  
I decided to check the frog monster like I had checked the dummy before. - Froggit HP: 30 Def: 5 Atk: 1, life is difficult for this monster \- Remembering what Toriel told me, I decided to try striking up a conversation and toss a compliment it's way. "Well, aren't you a cute little thing."  
  
I doubt it understood what I said, but it seemed flattered anyways. Before the fight could continue however, Toriel returned, presumably having noticed I had fallen behind, and gave the froggit a scolding look. It immediately slinked away and the fight ended. Such a disapproving look... I never wanted her to send one my way.  
  
With that we continued on once more. After a time she stopped, and looked to me, an apologetic look crossing her face. "Forgive me my child, but there is some business I must attend to and you must be alone for a while." she raised a finger to her chin thoughtfully. " Ah. I have an idea."  
  
With that she rustled through her robe before placing something with a bit of heft in my hands. "I will give you this cell phone. If you have need of anything, just call. This way I will never be far."I took the device reverently and nodded.  
  
"My house should not be much further. I trust you to be able to make it there on your own, my child. Be good, alright?" Nervousness set upon me. "I'll.. I'll try my best." And with that, I was alone.  
  
I wandered a while more before deciding to test it out, and give her a call. Perhaps her voice would ease my nerves? It was a strange thing, the cell phone. Not like one I'd seen on the surface. It was pretty nice though.  
  
Ring... ring... "Hello, this is Toriel." A small smile touched my lips at her voice. "Hey, mom." Eh? Did I just call her mom? Where did that come from? Given the pause on the other end she must have been just as surprised. "Did you just call me... 'Mom'? Well... I suppose... Would that make you happy? To call me 'mother'?" ...Would it? It felt... right for some reason.  
  
Taking a breath, I replied. "Yeah. I'd like that, if it's alright with you." Her tone became rather quite cheery as she responded "Well then, by all means. You may call me that if you wish." Her words filled me with warmth. And so I continued on.  
  
Not long after I ran across another froggit. This one thankfully seemed noticeably more friendly. On a whim I decided to talk with it. Maybe this one would understand me? "Howdy there." The froggit blinked in slight surprise. "Ribbit, ribbit (Oh. Hello there stranger. If you have the time I can give some advice to you on battling monsters.)"  
  
By some manner of strangeness I could understand the froggit's ribbits as if they where plainly spoken word. How odd, but given everything I found myself becoming less and less surprised. "Sure. I'm a bit new here so lay it on me." The froggit nodded to itself a moment before continuing. "Ribbit, ribbit (Alright youngster. If you act a certain way with different types of monsters, they might not want to battle you anymore. If a monster doesn't want to fight anymore, that's when you give 'em some mercy.)"  
  
Mercy, huh? I'd have to keep that in mind. "Alright. Thanks for the heads up. See you around." The froggit winked. "Ribbit (See ya, human. Be safe out there. You seem like a nice kid.)"  It didn't take long for me to press a good way in. By then my phone rang. Was Toriel calling me?  
  
I answered it. "Hello my child. For no reason in particular... which do you prefer? Cinnamon or Butterscotch?" Why would she be asking me this? I decided to humor her anyways. "Cinnamon." There was a slight pause. "Hehehe. I had a feeling. Truthfully, when I first saw you, I felt... Like I was seeing an old friend for the first time. Strange, is it not? Well... thank you."  
  
...It was strange. "Oh. You do not dislike butterscotch either, do you? I know what your preference is, but would you turn up your nose if you found it on your plate?" Would I? I don't think so... Not that i'd ever really had butterscotch in recent memory. "No. Why?" She laughs softly. "No reason in particular. Thank you for being patient." Click.  
  
The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful, with the occasional monster. I stuck to the froggit's advice and made it through without anyone getting hurt. It made me wonder though. Would all monsters be like this? Would there be a point where I had to fight?  
  
The ruin tunnels opened to a large clearing of sorts with a large and ancient looking tree at the center. "Oh dear. That took longer than I expected it would." Toriel came into view from behind the tree, ready to make a call before noticing my presence and hurrying over.  
  
"Oh dear. Are you alright my child? I can heal any injuries you might have. Oh. It seems that you are completely unharmed. How surprising." After having made sure I was uninjured she gestured for me to follow. "Come this way. I have something to show you."  
  
I followed, my curiosity taking hold. She lead me to a house at the back wall. Could this be where she lived? A pleasant smell wafted out from inside. The inside itself was very warm and cozy. Miles from the abandoned house I had used last night.  
  
The walls where a soft peach color, and the floor fine crafted maple. A number of paintings hung from the walls as well as a gas lamp. Two book cases lay against the back wall, one with a flower pot on it with a flower I didn't immediately recognize. A set of stairs led downward, but that could wait.  
  
"Do you smell that? Surprise! It is a butterscotch-cinnamon pie." Ohhh. So that's why she called about that earlier? Now it made perfect sense. "I thought we might celebrate your arrival. I want you to have a nice time living here. So I will hold off on snail pie for tonight." Wait, what?  
  
"Ehh? Snail pie?" She gave a soft laugh. "It is not as terrible as it probably sounds for a human, I assure you. Oh. I have another surprise for you." She gestured for me to follow down the hall to the right of the entry area.  
  
The hall was a warmer golden yellow, with a fine rug along the floor. Several doors lined it, and a large mirror sat against the wall. she stopped at the first door. "This is it. A room of your own. I hope you don't mind it." I hadn't realized how close I was to her until she was rubbing my head softly. It was... well... It was nice. It also made me realize how tired I actually was. I could stay in this moment for ages...  
  
But life doesn't work out that way unfortunately, and the moment had to end. "Oh? Is something burning? Ah, make yourself at home my child." And with that, she went off down the left hall leaving me to myself.  
  
I decided to take this moment to look myself in the mirror. It had... been a while since I'd actually bothered to. Shoulder length dark brown hair. My god, I forgot how pale I was. A bit of rosiness to my cheeks which was omnipresent. Older women always commented on how 'cute' it was. My ruby eyes stared back coolly. I wouldn't say I was ugly, but the other kids at the orphanage called me creepy because of these eyes. Despite everything, this was still me.  
  
I let myself into the room she had said was mine. Raspberry colored rug and wallpaper greeted me. It was a pretty nice room really. A nice comfy looking bed, a full sized dresser. A few old dolls and a box of toys. A night stand with a lamp on it, and a book case with a picture frame sitting on it.  
  
It seemed fit for someone a little younger than me, but it was nice having a room I could call my own. Opening the dresser, I was pleased to see that the clothes inside where just about the right size for me. Tossing my old jacket aside and throwing the plain grey shirt I was wearing off as well, I grabbed a knit sweater. Green with a yellow stripe across it. I really like green... It was like it was made for me! I didn't hesitate to put it on.  
  
Something black caught my eye in the back of the dresser as I spun to look over myself with the new attire on. Digging it out, I found it was an old video camera. Not any kind I'd ever seen much like the cellphone, so safe to say probably monster made.  
  
I toyed around with it a bit but couldn't get it to really work, so I set it aside. The bed seemed terribly inviting anyways. Throwing myself on it, I felt my mind slowly whirring to a close. Pie would be nice, but I needed rest. I'm sure she'd wake me when it was ready anyways. And so I slept... and dreamt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we really start to get into the meat of things. Strange things are certainly afoot. Chapter 2 ended up a bit longer than I expected it would since there was a lot to go over. You could probubally write more than a few chapters on just the ruins if you really tried.


	3. Nostalgic cinnamon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smell is a powerful thing. Certain smells can elicit a powerful emotional response, or bring forth an old memory. Memory is quite powerful as well, but it can be unreliable. What's really a memory and what's really a dream? Does it really matter? Do not worry child. You are loved.

"Hey... Asriel. Are you awake...? I wanna ask you something." The sound of tired shuffling met my ears. I couldn't sleep. A younger voice responded tiredly. "Ask away." I licked my dry lips a bit before replying.

"Do you... Do you think even the worst person... do you think they can change? That everyone can be a good person, if they just try?" No longer so tired, they gave a thoughtful sound as they sat at the edge of their bed.

"Hmm... sure? Mom and dad say anything is possible if you put your mind to it. So it could happen I guess. Wait. Why did you even...ask?" They gave me a confused look. My eyes started to water and... I couldn't help it...

"Oh no. Are you crying? Did I say something bad?" No you idiot. You didn't. I swear. I'm gonna protect that smile of yours. "I'm not crying..." "Yes you are!" I pulled the sheets over my head, the book I had been reading falling to the floor. "Hey. Tell me what's wrong." "It's... it's nothing you idiot. Just... go back to sleep. I'm just tired is all."

"Oh... Ok. Well, night then." I sighed softly. "Yeah. Night Az." I didn't sleep that night though. I spent it staring at the cover of the book I'd read in deep thought. It's title read plain as day -The Sealing War-.

Some time later I woke up. Some small bit of panic set into me as I looked around for someone who wasn't there. I was in the room I'd fallen asleep in though. Right. I was underground. The smell of cinnamon and butterscotch brought me back to reality.

It seems in my sleep Toriel has came in and left a piece of the pie on the nightstand. My stomach grumbled in response. So as you might expect I took the pie and ate it. The flavors exploded across my tongue and... I couldn't help feeling filled with nostalgia for some reason.

It was something I'd never had before and yet it was a taste I could never forget. Feeling re-energized and full, I took a moment to think. That dream had been different from my usual. It... didn't actually feel like a dream at all.

The nagging feeling that I was missing something important grew. I wasn't discounting the possibility that I had gone mad just yet. I didn't feel mad at least. I had nearly been murdered by a psychotic flower and had been more or less adopted by a cute goat woman though, so the court was still very much out on that one.

Honestly I didn't care if this was real or not anymore. I was safe. I was happy. I had a roof over my head and someone who I felt I could rely on besides myself. Taking the empty plate with me, I set out to bring it to the kitchen. A convenient excuse to explore more of my new home.

Stepping out into the quiet hall, I took a moments glance at the other doors in it. If this was a bedroom it stood to reason that at least one of them was her room. The kitchen had to be the other way since that's where she went before. So I decided I'd head that way first.

It opened to a lovely dining and living room, the same color scheme as the entry way. A large book case rested against one wall, and a grand fireplace was the centerpiece of the room, a large comfy chair next to it. A dining table with several chairs in the corner. The fireplace was lit and filled the room with a warm glow. Judging by the fact there was no obvious fuel source perhaps it was some sort of magic fire?

Toriel rested in the large chair in front of the fire, reading a large book titled '72 Uses for Snails'. Oh lovely. Well, I guess I'd have to get used to it and trust her judgement on how they tasted I suppose. Noticing my presence she set her book aside for a moment. "Oh. I see you found your pie, my child. I do hope you liked it."

I gave a firm nod. "It was really good. Almost good enough to have every day." I shifted slightly on my feet, still not really feeling comfortable with prolonged conversations. "I'll... I'll be right back. I'm gonna put this in the sink." Toriel gave a soft and understanding nod. "Of course, my child. Don't let me hold you."

Exiting through a door to the north of the living room, I entered the kitchen. It was a slightly darker but still warm shade of tan. The floor was well tiled as well. A large monster made fridge took up a corner of the room. As expected there was a sink, kitchen counter with a number of drawers, and a stove as well. The stove was perhaps the stranger part. It had no visible dials or gauges, or obvious moving parts. A safe guess would be that it ran on some type of fire magic then.

The kitchen still smelled strongly of fresh baked pastry. Was this what a kitchen normally smelled like? A small and instinctual part of my brain, a part that still expected Flowey to suddenly pop up and try to eat my face off or something equally horrible, wondered where the knives where. Quickly I shoved that unwelcome thought down as far back as I could, and put the plate in the sink. I did allow myself a bit of curiosity though, and peeked inside the fridge.

Mostly unfamiliar brands of familiar things. Nothing terribly unusual... but there where some chocolate bars. Nice. I wouldn't have to miss that at least. With that settled I returned to the living room. "Ah. You have taken care of what you needed to, my child? Then I shall share an interesting snail fact with you. Did you know that snails sometimes flip their digestive systems as they mature?"

Well, that was definitely a bit odd and out of the blue. I guess I could give it a pass though since she clearly had a fondness for them. I endeavored to be a good child. I would learn to like them as well. Without any idea how to respond when faced with an out of the blue anecdote like that however, all I could manage was a slightly confused smile and a thumbs up.

Looking at the book case, my mind was drawn back to something. That dream I had. Could that book be real...? I couldn't be sure why but my gut told me it was and that I should read it. Running a finger along the aged books, it settled upon a familiar and rather worn one. -The Sealing War-. So it did exist. A chill ran down my spine, as I tried to process what this meant. I carefully took it from the shelf.

Toriel gave a soft sigh, drawing my attention away from the tome in my hands. "My child... I do not believe you ever gave me your name. If it is not too much to ask. I can understand why you might feel you do not need to yet." I mentally slapped myself. How the hell did I forget that? She introduced herself and everything. I took a breath before facing her.

"It's... Chara. I don't have a last name." For the briefest moment it looked like she had seen a ghost. Just enough of a moment for me to catch before it passed into a look of melancholy. That told me a lot... and very little at the same time.

There were a lot of puzzle pieces falling onto my lap as if begging me to solve them, but all I wanted was to just live with her in peace. So she had children before I came around and I was reminding her of one of them? Fair enough. I wasn't going to try and pry, and dig up painful memories for her.

I decided to lighten the mood a bit. " Hey. No need to feel sad. You GOAT me." I flashed the best smile I could manage to go along with it. Puns are universal, right? At first she blinked in surprise at what I'd said, before laughing to the point of tears and pulling me into a firm hug.

"A-ahahaha... O-oh my dear Chara. You have GOAT to be kidding me..." Oh god. She had a thing for puns, didn't she. Oh. She was hugging me now. It felt nice... I returned it after only a moment's hesitation. Moments like these made me determined to stay with her.

Dinner came and went quietly, and eventually it was time to rest again. Sitting on my bed, I remembered the book I had taken. I gently cracked it open on my lap and began to read. "Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: Humans and Monsters. One day... war broke out between the two races."

Oh nice. It even had some particularly well done illustrations to go with it. "After a long battle, the humans were victorious. They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell. This is what we today know as The Barrier. Things may come in, but none can leave." Oh. Well that made things easier. I wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon anyways. Still, what kind of people could do something so terrible to an entire race? I just didn't get humans sometimes.

That was an interesting and very informative bit of information, for a preface to the rest of the book. More interestingly was some old doodles in the margins of the book. They looked to have been done by a kid a few years younger than me. The drawings where a bit crude but I could make out that it seemed to be a vague outline for a plan of some sort.

The person, a human and probably the one who drew it since they wrote 'me' under their little primitive drawing would give their soul to a monster of the same kind as Toriel who was labeled 'brother', who would then go through the barrier and get 6 other souls and return to break the barrier. The last image was them and a bunch of happy monsters around them. All of them happy and together...

The plan probably didn't make it past being doodled out anyways since the monsters where still underground, meaning whatever this barrier was, it was probably still up. I mean, I'd have known if any monsters had left here I'm sure. I could save the rest of the book for later, I had enough to think on already anyways.

Closing it and setting it aside, I turned in for the night. Easing back, I closed my eyes. I couldn't get those doodles out of my head though. It seemed that my mind had made itself up that this was a vital piece in understanding whatever puzzle this was. Suffice to say resting easy was going to be a bit harder than I thought.

Between the dreams, the feelings of deja vu, the book, the doodle, and mom's reaction to me, I couldn't help but feel unease creeping back in. I decided instead to focus on the feeling I had when she hugged me, and once more I was filled with determination. This time it was to get some real sleep. Starting tomorrow my new life would begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of feels, a bit of fluff, and a whole lot of plot pieces in this chapter. Can even the worst person change? Who knows, but Chara is sure as hell going to try. You could say they are DETERMINED to be a better person... I'll see myself out.


	4. Year 1: Chara of Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home and family are important foundations for a happy existence. It's natural to have a desire for these things. The desire to protect these things is great as well, and quite natural. Understanding these things and continue with determination. Remember who you are fighting for. You are not alone.

Funny how fast time could pass. The first day found me refreshed by a truly dreamless sleep. The morning was spent learning more about the ruins, my new home now, and the others I would be sharing it with. The froggit were the most common, of course. I hadn't put a name to the other ones I encountered yet however.   
  
One type was called a Whimsun. An extreamly shy and sensitive monster looking somewhere between a ghost and a fairy. So sensitive that they simply couldn't fight even if they where in real danger. The easiest to deal with peacefully, they could be deterred by a simple word of comfort and reassurance.  
  
Another was the Moldsmal.  A type of relatively inert monster resembling a lime jello mold. Very simple things, they were not exactly dangerous and could simply be discouraged by jiggling back at them a little. Good to know.  
  
Migosps are a beetle-like monster that can be a bit unpleasant and snippy at times, but are actually surprisingly friendly and just prefer some alone time and a bit of dancing. It's generally better to approach them when they're by themselves than around others.  
  
Among those there where also the radish-like vegitoids who insisted on feeding you home grown vegetables (Pretty good actually. Great source of food.), the horned and singled eyed Loox, and the myriad intelligent spiders who seemed to run a constant bake sale in a corner of the ruins.  
  
Their cooking... left something to be desired. I had made the mistake of trying a spider cider from them once. It was a sharp and sour thing with a worrying texture that I dare not drink again. I'd take snails over it any day. Good thing mom cooked snails really well.  
  
In a few weeks later and I had all the monsters of the ruins memorized. By then I was halfway through the book as well. I now knew more about the war than ever before, as well as the barrier, the great exodus, the founding of 'Home', which was now the ruins (Whoever the king was, he really needed to think of a more creative name than 'home'. Still it had a nice sentiment to it.),  the delta rune which was the emblem of the royal family but also far older, and most interestingly some details on the human mages. Could I possibly learn magic?  
  
The idea of wielding magic both excited and terrified me. Would it be like monster magic? I hoped it could. Mom's magic allowed her to heal. Everything I read about human magic seemed to suggest that it was only capable of bringing destruction and pain. Monsters where different from humans though... in many ways. The most apparent being that monsters had very little physical matter compared to a human, and what they did have was bound together by their magic.   
  
I also got a better understanding of how fights work in the coming weeks. After a few more I began to realize there is a sort of 'area' that my soul is limited to move to avoid attacks. I decided I'd call it the 'bullet box'. Simple, descriptive, and to the point. If most monster attacks could be called 'bullets' then it stood to reason.  
  
Two weeks later, I'd mastered the ruin's puzzles enough to be able to pass through them fairly freely return to where I had fallen. It took some time to memorize the spiked path and the location of all the leaf pitfalls. The switch puzzles and rock pushing ones where simple, even a kid could do them though. Well except for that one weird room that would change perspective. I wasn't sure what magic was at work with that one but it still gave me a headache at times.  
  
By small fortune I'd not seen Flowey again. Not yet at least. I had found my lost knife again though after poking around the area, so if worst came to worst I would in fact have an option to defend myself besides my bare hands. The other monsters, I felt safe around now since I knew I could handle them peacefully, but Flowey? Flowey was a whole 'nother beast entirely. Flowey was vicious, deceptive, and dangerous.  
  
I had met a few  'Floweys' on the surface. People more than willing to play at being sweet and friendly while happily tearing your throat out when they see the chance. You see enough of those people, you start to get a feel for them.   
  
It took me several more months to actually figure out what kind of monster Toriel was. I'd never actually thought to ask and it had never come up. It turned out her kind was called a 'boss monster'. Long droopy ears, visible fangs (Which according to Toriel are mostly for cracking snail shells), a pair of horns, humanoid bodies, and paws at the end of their extremities. It all matched up.  
  
The majority are apparently of royal blood, and I even overheard one monster mention that they can't age unless they have offspring. That's what scuttlebutt was at least among the ruins. What if it was true though? How old was Toriel really, then? Did that mean she'd always be there for me, even when I got old?  
  
Eventually June came around, though it was a little hard to tell given there was no sun to work off of. It was time  to celebrate my birthday, June 24th. In a few short years I'd be a full adult and be unable to wear striped shirts anymore, a tradition i've found is common among both humans and monsters for indicating that someone is not yet an adult. Today though, I could enjoy my youth. We ended up baking a cake together. I think it came out really well, but then again it was the first real birthday cake I'd ever had so I had no frame of reference.  
  
The gift she got for me was a book on the basics of magic. I had expressed some slight interested in magic, but not enough to let on that I'd have been interested in trying to learn it, right? Maybe she had noticed how much I'd watched with curiosity when she would use her fire magic to cook. She did remind me that the likelihood of actually learning any magic was incredibly low.  
  
As she explained it, magic came more easily to monsters because they had less physical mass than humans which made it easier to connect with the soul and draw power from it. Since I was human, it would be very difficult, if not impossible... but I was determined.  
  
I began to train regularly, getting into a routine that exercised myself both physically and mentally. I decided to make regular patrols through the ruins as well, to make sure nothing dangerous was putting anyone at risk, almost acting as a second caretaker, or perhaps more like a member of the royal guard I had read about. It gave a bit of a sense of purpose to me.   
  
A regular among my patrols was rather interesting sort, which really stuck out among the other monsters. A ghost by the name of Napstablook. They looked like... well, a bed sheet ghost you'd see in a cartoon really. A bit on the depressed side, but friendly enough. Very fond of music as well. Almost gave me a bit of a 'starving artist' feel. Y'know, if ghosts could starve.  
  
They made for nice conversation, and I couldn't help but feel I brightened their day a bit when we talked. It seemed they came from somewhere outside the ruins, though I never really got around to asking where. Apparently they came here to say hi to the dummy. That was... something. Apparently the dummy was actually some type of monster as well? Then again we had a living rock down here so who was I to judge.  
  
One day I noticed a strange object on my patrol through the ruins. A small golden yellow star-like light. Kneeling down and touching it, I felt myself reflecting on the ruins. How they had resisted the ages and still stood. It filled me with determination. The object seemed to preserve that thought.  
  
Touching it again, I felt a rush of determination as it caused me to reflect on the thought. A moment later a small black and white window of sorts similar to the 'bullet box' appeared, displaying my name, the current time, and my current location... interesting.  
  
It also displayed in a tucked away spot 'LV: 1'. 'Lv' I presumed was short of the LOVE thing Flowey mentioned. It almost reminded me of something out of a videogame as well. I didn't trust the flower to be honest about something apparently important, so I was pleased to see that it sat at what was probably base value. If Flowey thought it was good, it probubally wasn't.  
  
It felt like I'd done a good thing, but I couldn't shake an unsettling feeling about it. Another piece of the picture I was missing. Just what was this SAVE? I had theories, oh did I have theories. But they where much too dangerous to test. Perhaps if it had been when I first had fallen... but now? Not so much.  
  
Instead of dwelling upon it I continued my daily routine, roaming the ruins, doing favors for the locals in exchange for some small amount of coin, getting groceries from the former capital, and taking care of the golden flowers where I fell.   
  
I worked the strange four pointed golden star into the routine, touching it as I passed every now and then and feeling a fresh swell in my determination as it reminded me that just like these ruins, despite all my hardships I was still standing... and still me.  
  
My thoughts on that matter however had been blindsided by the fact I finally learned what lay down the stairs. Toriel finally felt ready to let me know about what it was. A door leading to the rest of the underground. I knew the next zone of the underground, Snowdin, was close. I had no idea it was on our doorstep.  
  
Toriel explained to me that she had not told me about it before, because she was worried if she did I would rush head long into it without knowing what I needed to. Now that I had spent some time here though and proved myself to be a responsible person, she felt safe to address it.   
  
Apparently most monsters outside of the ruins still had resentment for being sealed down here by humans. Once I was old enough, I could go see for myself if I chose to. Perhaps she was afraid that if I knew of an exit I would try to leave first chance I got, and would have ended up... Well it didn't bear thinking about. The idea of how my death would affect her... I couldn't imagine it.  
  
I started getting the feeling I wasn't the first human to come through here. Determined not to make her worry, I redoubled my efforts. Summer passed, and I was starting to gain some a healthier build, putting some desperately needed muscle on my bones. The occasional dream would crop up as well.  
  
I found myself sucked into the routine of things, making gold, spending it on small personal things or stuff to help out Toriel, and generally feeling good about myself for once. I had a place to live, a purpose, and a family, however small it was.  
  
Before I knew it, it was winter. You really couldn't tell with the underground though. The ruins always felt like they where in perpetual fall. It did become slightly chillier though, so I finally had an excuse to wear my mended hoodie. I'd sewn it back up myself with lessons from Toriel.  
  
One day I had noticed that one of the doors at the end of the hall, which had always been locked wasn't. It had a small sign saying 'room under renovation' on it. I... let the curiosity get the better of me.   
  
Slowly opening the door, I found it was another bedroom, similar to mine, though a soft shade of green in this case. Everything was dusty with age however. It hadn't been entered in a long time. It was quiet as the grave inside. Walking cautiously I entered.  
  
Discarded crayons and papers sat in one corner. Sifting through the aged papers, I found that some of them lined up with the style of the drawings in the book. Some of them scrapped attempts at the same plan outline even.   
  
My hand stopped on one. Older than some of the others. It seemed some real effort was put into it though. Two drawings. Two different hands. One was of a young boss monster, and the other a human. Underneath them it read 'Me and Sis. Best friends forever.'  
  
I don't know what drove me to do it. I probably should have left it where it lay. However I instead rolled the picture up and tucked it away in the inner pocket of my jacket. Not even the moment I started putting it in my eye caught a glint of something on the bed sheets.  
  
Creeping over, as if afraid that making any noise would awaken a vengeful spirit, I came to the side of the bed. A small heart shaped locket made of red gemstone with a fine gold frame overlay on it. With a shaking hand I gently took it.  
  
It was a pretty little thing. Something told me I was meant to find it. That I should take it where it belonged. I didn't have any clue where that was though. Pocketing it as well, I crept out of the room and slowly shut the door behind me. Just in time too, since Toriel came home minutes later.  
  
The incident passed from mind as preparations for the monster equivalent of Christmas began. A lower key affair than with humans, with far more emphasis on the togetherness than the giving of gifts, though that was a part of it. She even made a surprise for me. A chocolate pie!  
  
Taking the splendor of chocolate and melding it with the wonder that was her cinnamon-butterscotch pie, the result was to die for. It was to be savored however, unlike the cinnamon-butterscotch pie which I felt could be enjoyed at any time. This was something for special occasions. In this case to mark our first year together.  
  
It came around to time to exchange gifts. For her, I had sewn her a new robe. A good portion of my budget had been sunk into it, so I was glad it actually fit her and she liked it. In return she gave me the sewing pattern for the delta rune emblem. Something I had been finding myself wanting to give a go at since I thought it looked cool.  
  
It wasn't anything terribly complex or fierce looking really. A simple sphere between two feathered wings with three triangles beneath it, with the middle triangle inverted.  First thing in the morning I was adding it to the back of my hoodie. The local monsters told me it was used as an emblem of the royal guard, and they had started to jokingly call me 'the human royal guard'. I had decided to embrace it in full.  
  
Laying against mom, and enjoying the warm fireplace, I started to daydream about what it would be like to be a member of the royal guard. A very unlikely possibility considering I was human, but I could dream.  A small spark of red danced from my finger tips as my eyes fully closed and sleep took hold. The beginnings of magic perhaps,or just a product of my mind's exhaustion? The idea of protecting innocent monsters from the wicked filled me with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up trying something a little different here in the form of something of an overview on a whole year. I can't say for sure how good it ended up being, but this was probably my favorite chapter to write so far.


	5. Interlude 1: A true nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our demons are more terrifying than any monster will ever be.

Awoken by a sudden feeling of being watched, like I had felt in the forest all those days ago when I had first come to the underground, back in the forest, I reached for my knife. The room was dark and empty. No sign of any obvious intruder, but I did not feel safe in the slightest.

Sliding off the bed, I quietly crept into the hall, knife tightly in hand. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I proceeded. No one in the hall either. It was darker than it should have been. Too dark. Dark like night time.

Where was everyone? I... I didn't like this feeling of being alone again. Making my way towards mom's room, I paused. The mirror. Looking into it, I sighed in relief. Despite everything, it was still m- "Greetings." An... unsettlingly familiar voice came from the mirror as my reflection smiled faintly. It sounded like me but... wrong.

Taking a soft gulp, I gathered my determination and replied. "Who... are you?" My reflection tilted it's head ever so slightly, it's expression never wavering, like it was carved into the replica of my face. " Let me answer your question with a story. Long ago there was a human child. They where an ordinary villager, just like anyone else where they were from. A simple village really. "

The mirror image's smile widened ever so slightly. "However that village had a certain belief, as many simple villages often do. From the moment humans where born, they had evil in them." I started feeling ill as they unraveled their little 'story'. Something told me I had heard it before...

"Since it was impossible for them to wash away this evil with simple good deeds, they would 'force' this evil onto one person. A chosen 'vessel' to blame for all their evils. After all, if one person embodies everything they hold as evil, then they can't possibly be evil, right? Such a childish belief. This child became their precious 'vessel'."

"N-no. I don't want to hear anymore." I held out my knife in front of me, desperately not wanting to hear the rest. It was all too painful. "So these people cursed, spat, ridiculed, beat, and blamed this child for every ill fortune fate deemed to bring upon humanity. The sheer senselessness of it all... why was this happening to them? Who should they blame?"

The reflection's eyes glowed a soft red. "They grew to hate humanity. They grew to hate humans and the world they represented so deeply for this merciless persecution. They became exactly what the people wanted them to become. To the point their hatred became a part of them they could never escape, even if they say... fell down into another world without humans."

By this point my hands where shaking badly. "Greetings. I am-" A terrible cacophony of disjointed voices speaking in unison followed. So many names in so many different voices. It was as if I was before legion itself. A terrible and nameless being.

With a soft wave of their hand the voices cut to silence. "I am the demon that comes when people call it's name. I am the one that bears the sins of 'the player' so that they can live like those poor, blind, deluded villagers. I am you."

They slowly left the mirror, a twisted reflection of myself. I... I didn't understand. What 'player'? What did they mean by demon? "Even after all this time. Despite everything, you still resent humanity. You tried to run from it. To bury me... but deep down I was still there. You didn't think you could escape from your duty, did you? You still have to kill those filthy humans who wronged you."

I finally managed to get a hold of myself. " What...? No! I... I don't want to go back there. I don't want to hurt anyone. I have people that love me now. I have a family." They simply smiled, tilting their head further. "Family? Useful tools towards our ends. They will serve well. Monsters can be so... trusting after all. I think I would like to meet them. Come, let us finish what they started"

I snarled at the mirror image. "You won't get anywhere near my family. I refuse to let you anywhere near them!" Their smile faded a bit and their head tilted further still. Any further and it seemed their neck would snap. "No...? Hmm... How curious. You must have misunderstood. Since when were you the one in control?"

Their eyes darkened like black pits, and their smile became worse than ever as they advanced on me. I felt myself pulled into a battle. -'Chara' HP: ? ATK: 99 DEF:99, You are in their way\- Not good odds, looking at their stats... but I had to try.

They spoke in an almost calming voice. "It's ok to be afraid, Chara. I have done this countless times... Not that you would know of any of them since this will be your first." They raised a hand towards me. "I will make this quick." With that, all hell broke loose. Blades slashed through the bullet box in terrible volleys, catching my soul and wracking me with pain. Somehow I managed to still be standing through it all though.

"Strange. I was hoping you would fall with my first strike. It would have been easier on you. On both of us." There was no way talking it out was an option here, and I wasn't going to let this damn reflection beat me. Not here. Putting as much force as I could into the knife, I drove it at them. A solid hit, but it barely seemed to slow them.

"Ho. I have obviously underestimated how determined you are to protect your 'family'. Because you 'love' them. Let me rectify that." A hand grasped for my soul, followed by a second. I managed to evade them though. I was in pain but still in the fight.

"Your obstinance is commendable... but the outcome of this was already pre-determined. No amount of determination will change your fate." I struck them again with the knife. They bled a small bit of black... and my ability to attack felt like it shattered, followed by every other option, one by one.

I screamed for help. Someone... anyone! There was little else I could do... but nobody came. "I'm glad you made it interesting for me, but I'm afraid that I grow tired of playing with you. It was amusing watching you cling to your beliefs so tightly... but you cannot proceed. It was ordained." The battled ended and I suddenly found myself inside the mirror now. " There's someone else I'd very much like to play with, you know. You know them very well. I would like to see why you think them so special myself. See you soon... partner."

I could do little but scream and pound at the unyielding surface as they walked away in my body. I... couldn't protect anyone. I screamed until my throat was raw. "Chara..." And I screamed even more as hot tears poured down my face. "Chara...!" Because of them my family was going to d- "Chara! Please wake up!"

I felt something shaking me. My eyes shot open to find Toriel standing over me, a very worried expression on her face. "It's ok Chara... it was just a nightmare... you're safe... I'm here..." She pulled me into a gentle hug as I continued to cry. It was... just a nightmare. I was still here. My family was still here... I was still here. It was a long while before the shaking finally stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fair bit darker than I usually write. Actually felt kinda bad writing it. Goat mama to the rescue though so everything's ok. Probably. This at the least does mark the first real serious battle that's cropped up in the fic, even if it was a dream. Remember kids, don't do a violence or an edgy demon will eat your soul!


	6. Year 2: The other fallen child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The form magic takes matters not as much as the intent for which it's used. Prepare yourself knight of monsters, forces are rallying against you. The brighter you shine, the larger the shadows will grow. Remember, you are not alone.

My hands shook slightly as I wrote in a notebook. Toriel had managed to acquire one for me recently, and it helped quite a bit to have something to put my thoughts down in. The thoughts I was putting down right now though, all related to an incident I had had moments ago.  
  
It had started as a simple attempt at practicing magic, like usual. Growing a bit frustrated in my lack of progress beyond a few small useless red sparks, I wondered if there was something I missed. Calling my soul forth, I suddenly noticed something that I hadn't really considered before.  
  
While looking at my soul, I recalled something mom had taught me. The difference between a human and monster soul. Monster souls where more fragile than humans. They where also less vibrant, appearing more a soft grayish white than the brilliant red mine glowed. The biggest difference however... was that a monster's soul as inverted, point upwards.  
  
In essence their soul was upside down. I once asked her why that was. She didn't really have an answer for that question. Perhaps no one did. She did have a theory however. The idea being that human and monster souls, despite everything, were still attracted to each other on some level.  
  
Since humans lived on the surface, their souls pointed down. Since monsters lived underground their souls pointed up. A very interesting perspective. Musing to myself though, I wondered... what would happen if I somehow turned my soul upside down, like a monster? Maybe it'd let me use magic?   
  
I was a fool, toying with things I didn't fully understand. I hadn't thought this through. All I saw was the potential benefits. Gripping the heart-like object, I forcefully turned it. It was like turning a rusted bathtub knob. It took a great effort, but after a bit it sort of just... 'clicked' in place.  
  
Not even a moment later I felt a sensation which forced me to my knees. It was a deep and visceral pain, unlike anything i'd ever felt. Stupid... stupid...! Was I going to die now? The pain faded quickly however, and I found that I had not in fact died.  
  
I'd been ever so lucky this time. Wrapping an arm around my still uneased and slightly nauseated stomach, I stared at my soul. It was still inverted. It seemed to still be intact as well. Good. I didn't want any permanent damage after all.  
  
I was still shaky and drops of sweat trailed from my brow, but I had to know. Reaching a hand out, I tried to focus any magic I had into form. This time instead of sparks, a knife made of red light, similar to my soul, appeared.   
  
Magic. Real magic. I'd actually done it. It was... not exactly what I'd hoped I could do, but it was still magic. Not a moment later it faded away, and a wave of exhaustion slammed into me. I returned my soul to my body and unceremoniously passed out into a pile of leaves shortly after.  
  
When I came to, I was back home in bed, with a worried Toriel looking over me. I didn't want to worry her more than she already might be... and perhaps a small part of me was afraid she'd be furious at me for the stunt I'd pulled. So I told her that I had pushed myself a bit too hard with my training. It wasn't exactly a lie.  
  
With that, the next few days were spent resting. This brought me back to the notebook, and writing that all down. Good news, I wasn't dead and I actually used some real magic. Bad news, I needed to get control of my curiosity fast before it got me or others killed.  
  
I had to tell her at some point. And I would. You didn't keep secrets like this. I knew what it could do to people. The trick would be how to break it to her. And before even that I needed to figure out what it even was I really did. I knew what I had intended but...  
  
In the end I ended up forgetting about it. My soul had even returned to normal so I ended up just not worrying about it. I could still use magic a little as a result though. So I practiced. The best I could manage would be a single knife made of magic however, or empowering my knife with it. Bit by bit I was getting a little better though. Destructive magic... I had to think of some way to use it to help people.  
  
My 16th birthday came around. Old enough to get a beer by Grieland law. Young adult by human standards. Still a kid for two more years by monster standards. It seems they really didn't have the concept of teenager. Fine by me.  
  
My birthday gift was two pairs of hand knit gloves. Good for keeping my hands clean while I tended the flowers, warm during the colder times in the ruins as well, and perhaps helpful if and when I decided to see Snowdin myself.  
  
Life threw me another curve ball though. While I was going to tend to the flowers, I nearly tripped over a prone figure. Looking down, I saw that it was a child. A human child. Not much older than 6 or 7. What where they doing down here? They weren't moving either.  
  
I felt a pit form in my stomach. Putting my hand to their face, still warm. Still breathing. Still a pulse. They were alive, though not in the best shape. It didn't entirely set my mind at ease, but it helped. I pulled out my phone as I looked down at the young child. Dark tanned skin, dark brown hair... they wore a blue and purple stripped shirt as well.  
  
Huh... if they were pale like me, they could almost be a dead ringer for me at that age. The phone rang twice before mom picked up. I didn't give her a chance to reply. "Mom, you need to get to the flower field right now. We have a situation. Someone's badly hurt here. " My worry must have shown in my voice.  
  
"I will be there right away, Chara. Please, remain calm and do what you can for them. How is their HP?" HP. Their health percentile. How much of a pounding their soul could take before it broke or started to get actually seriously damaged. Running a quick check on their soul, I found that it was a somewhat stable 15 out of 20.   
  
As long as you had at least some HP, you could recover. "They're at 15 of 20. I'll call if they come to before you arrive." It was good the kid was hanging on. As they were though, they were very vulnerable.  The kind of vulnerability that someone like Flowey would be happy to prey on.  
  
"Well, talk to you soon, mom." I could almost feel the warmth in her voice through the phone. "And you as well, my child." Click. Sitting in the flowers next to the unconscious child, I gently twirled the knife in one hand, eyes sharp for that smiling fiend of a flower.  
  
Two hours, and right on cue, the little demon flower popped up from a small mound of dirt. All happy and ready to pull the same stunt on the kid they tried on me, no doubt.  In a flash I grabbed them by the stem, and held my knife to it. " 'Ello Flowey. Lovely day today, huh? Nice day to do some weeding." I smiled at the little flower.  
  
Rather than false happiness or sadistic pleasure, Flowey showed a new emotion. Nervous apprehension. I was the one in control this time. "O-oh. Howdy there buddy. Still angry about the whole 'friendliness pellets' thing? No need to get snippy, ahahaha! We're cool, right?"  
  
"I dunno. ARE we cool, Flowey? Are we really...? I don't feel very cool right now." Man, this moment was cathartic. How was I ever scared of this little thing? Almost felt a little bad actually, doing this. Almost. " O-oh dear.." I tightened my grip just slightly. Enough to make him more uncomfortable.  
  
"Tell you what. You do something for me and we'll be cool. Now you're going to nod really slowly if you understand and agree... and if you screw it up? Pop goes the daisy."  The flower did the best attempt at a gulp I'd seen from a plant, and nodded slowly like I'd asked. Good... Good...  
  
"Alright. Here's the deal, short stuff. You're gonna be real nice to me and the kid here. You're not gonna do ANYTHING to hurt them. You hurt them? You're gonna have a bad time. You don't have to like it. Just try to pretend at least, ok?"   
  
Flowey gave a nervous laugh. "A-ahaha... s-sure thing buddy. We're friends after all, right?"  I let them go, still holding the knife close. I didn't trust them to not pull something otherwise. "That's right. Friends. Now run along little flower before Toriel blasts you again." And with that Flowey beat a hasty retreat.  
  
Good timing, since Toriel arrived not even ten minutes later. "Alright, kid. Stay determined. We'll be home before you know it. You'll like it there. It's safe." A look of worry flashed across Toriel's face when she noticed the kid. I helped them up and into her arms and she used a bit of healing magic on them before we made our way back.  
  
I had to give mom credit. She carried the kid all the way home like a champ. Barely had to pause for any of the puzzles. I wasn't exactly a fan of my fellow humans, but I had a real good gut feeling about this kid. Something was special about them... and besides, I wasn't gonna blame them for the sins of others.  
  
A chill ran up my spine as we walked through the pitfall room, just like on the surface that distant year ago.  Was it Flowey? Glimpsing out of the corner of my eye, I caught the darting of something dark and indistinct, like a shadow. It was gone when I turned to get a direct look at it though. Definitely not Flowey. Something else... Hopefully just another monster.  
  
The feeling was gone by the time we reach the doors of home however, and the tension vanished. I couldn't shake the feeling that something inherent in the ruins had changed though. For better or worse? I was going to find out eventually.  
  
The kid awoke later that day. We didn't even notice at first because they didn't actually open their eyes. At least it didn't seem like they did. Maybe they where just squinting really hard? They could definitely see though, judging by the way they reacted possessively spooked by me. And I could tell it was me, and not Toriel since they were looking right at me. Probably.  
  
"Hey kid. Easy there. You're safe." I held my hands up non-threateningly. " The name's Chara. I'm a human too. One of the cool ones though, y'know?" Toriel gave them a reassuring look. "And I am Toriel. There is no need to be alarmed, my child. Are you hungry?"  
  
The effect of her words were almost instant. The kid stopped breathing so heavily and seeming on the verge of fainting again, which was a good step forward at least. After processing Toriel's question a moment they nodded slightly. Quiet kid.  
  
"Ah. Then I will get you some pie. Would you like some as well, Chara?" I gave her a thumbs up. "Sure. I'll look after the kid while you go get it." And so it was just me and the kid now. "Hey... You got a name? I think calling you kid is gonna get old for us both really fast."  
  
They took a long moment before speaking, their voice barely a whisper. "...Frisk." Arching an eyebrow, I really hadn't heard a name like that before. But then my name was Chara so who was I to judge? "Frisk, huh. Well nice to meet ya. Kinda remind me a little of when I was your age. How old are you anyways?"  
  
7 fingers went up. 7 huh? I couldn't help but frown to myself a bit. What would drive someone that young to come to this place? "7, huh?" I forced a smile. "Well I just turned 16 a few days ago myself, hahaha. Us young folk gotta stick together."  
  
Damn if I wasn't gonna watch over this kid. They were gonna have a happy childhood. "Hey. While we're waiting for that pie, want some chocolate?" I offered them one of my personal bars. It pained me a bit to have to part with it, but kids like chocolate right?   
  
They stared at it a second before shaking their head no vigorously and sticking their tongue out in a fake gagging. I could only stare at them bemused. The kid didn't like chocolate? Seriously? Well no accounting for taste I guess. Hopefully they liked the pie at least.  
  
Sitting down cross legged across from Frisk, I bit into the chocolate bar. A curious idea came to mind as I remembered something."Hey... wanna hear a story? Just thought of one. " A thoughtful head tilt before they nodded eagerly. I took a deep breath before adopting my 'story teller' voice. The one thing the other kids at the orphanage really liked about me was my stories.  
  
"Alright. So a long time ago there was a knight most brave. She had a best friend who was a kind monster wizard of great power. This is the tale of one of their adventures together." I went on to spin a tale of bravery, kindness, and friendship having embellished a little bit here and there. The wizard hadn't been a monster in the older stories among other small changes, but somehow it felt right.  
  
Along the way, the wizard and knight picked up a third member of their adventuring party. A young scholar who spoke little, but was  good at getting them out of a bind. The knight would protect the wizard, who watched over the scholar, who would reign the knight in if she became too bold. It was in this way that they became great heros.  
  
Pie came and was eaten as the story continued. I could only assume they were interested in the story. It was hard to tell with how consistently neutral their expression seemed to be most of the time. Or perhaps they where just really really pensive?  
  
Anyways. Story. So one day the knight woke up to find that the wizard had vanished. She'd never had the chance to express how she felt to him... now she never might. For a time they had been rivals. Those days had been fun. These days had been the best yet however... she didn't want to let go. And besides, she had made a promise that she'd always find them if they were in trouble.  
  
So, that became the mission, and she was determined. It was at this point that I realized two things. First and foremost Frisk was now deeply interested in the story and secondly, I came to realize that I had no idea where the story was going to go from there. " And... that's all I got right now. Sorry, kid."  
  
They looked down, a little disappointed. "Oh..." I gave them a small smile. "Hey now. Just because I don't have anything right now, doesn't mean the story's finished. It's not over until the three friends are reunited and save the kingdom. That's how the knight would want it to end after all." A thumbs up to them and an encouraging smile.    
  
Ooh! There it was! A bit of a smile. Small but it's there. I'd call that mission accomplished. Now I'd just have to work at getting a bigger smile out of them. "That's what's great about being alive. At any given moment." I looked up at the ceiling. "As long as you're still going you have the power to say 'this is not how the story is going to end.'"  
  
Seems my words gave the kid some determination, judging by their expression. Tea was set in front of the two of us by Toriel. "Oh. Is story time done, my children? Perhaps in a little I shall show you around the ruins?" Frisk gave them a warm smile and a short nod.  
  
Frisk didn't seem at all that surprised by mom being a monster, come to think of it... maybe they were one of those kinds of people that just went with the flow of things? I could respect that. The next few moments I spent prepping for the trip. I made sure to have a decent stock of monster food I'd been stockpiling.  
  
The great thing about food that had been cooked with magic is that you didn't even have to fully process it. Somewhere along the line, the body fully absorbs it into energy. As a bonus, it restores your 'HP' because it's good for the soul, and even helps heal physical wounds a little. That doesn't mean that monster food can't be a little... strange however.  
  
Once we were under way, Frisk wasted no time taking an interest in the spider bake sale.  'For spiders, by spiders, of spiders' apparently as the slogan was, and they weren't exactly joking about the last bit. Though thankfully it wasn't other monster spiders. Not that they could, since monsters turn to dust when they die.   
  
The kid nearly blew half the spending money I'd lent them on goodies from it, despite my protest. Three spider doughnuts, some spider cider, and a croissant (The only thing spider-free on the menu). What shocked me though is that the Frisk enjoyed it, the absolute madman. How the heck do you drink spider cider and like it?  
  
I made sure to introduce the other monsters to the kid. That went smoothly enough, though there was a bit of uncertainty about them. Understandable, given this was the second human in a short time span. Even I was feeling a bit nervous. What if there were more? What if they weren't so nice?  
  
I pushed those thoughts away, having noticed a curious small white dog was following us. It was kinda cute really, looking sort of like a samoyed, but something seemed... off about it. They weren't a monster, that much I was sure of. I had a pretty good feel for what it was like to be around a monster by now. They were hardly an ordinary dog though.  
  
Frisk didn't seem to pay them much mind, so I didn't either really... until they tried to snatch mom's phone. I wasn't having that shit. With a firm bellow and a wave of the knife, I tried to shoo them away. The dog gave a few annoyed barks, and tried a few more times before giving up, then gave me one hell of an evil eye before bounding off into the shadows of the ruins.  
  
I had no idea a dog could look at someone that hatefully. It was like a petty child who was told they couldn't have their way. Too bad, dog. I want to be able to call mom. When I looked back, the kid had already solved the puzzle I had been going to teach them about. Just like the last few. Frisk had a knack for puzzles it seemed.  
  
Eventually we reached the flower field once more. Toriel paused. "Oh, I have forgotten to take care of some errands. Would you please watch over them while I am out, Chara?" Easy question. "You can count on me. Kid's gonna have a good time." So now it was just me and Frisk again.  
  
"So... this is where I found you. Where I first fell down as well." I stared up at the distant hole. "I can understand if you don't wanna stay, but please. Just give it a little time and thought first, before you decide. If you're absolutely sure you want to go... I'll take you myself."  
  
I allowed myself a sad smile. "Alright Frisk. Let's head back." They followed along quietly... and the dog was back again. A few barks, before they tried to get at my jacket, intent on finding something... Wait. The locket! Oh hell no!  
  
Good going dog. I was just annoying before, but now I was actually mad. I expressed this by shooting sparks of magic at it while shouting angrily. Enough to get a yip of surprise from it, and make it run off, and... through a wall? Did it just walk through a wall? I looked to Frisk and they looked to me. We were both pretty baffled to say the least.  
  
Something told me we hadn't seen the last of that dog. Twice it had tried to steal something important. Well, if they tried that again they'd get to see my 'scary face'. With that little bit of conflict resolved, the rest of the trip home wasn't so bad.  
  
Time passed, and while Frisk didn't speak much, I learned a decent bit about them. I don't think I'd ever met a person so kind and selfless for one. Underneath that kind and quiet exterior lurked the analytical mind of a tactical genius however.  
  
A strange thing really. One moment, they're just a kid, the next thing I know Frisk is displaying levels of reasoning and perception you'd expect to find in someone something like 20 years their senior.  
  
They had kept to my suggestion to stick around, but I ever now and then would catch them staring at the stairway leading to the ruins exit. They were considering it still, I could tell. Hopefully they'd tell me why they wanted to go at some point.  
  
The year was nearing it's close again. We'd run into Flowey a few more times in the course of that. They seemed a bit peeved that we were still in the ruins for whatever reason, but they were actually pretty bearable to be around ever since I had that little 'talk' with them. Dare I say fun even. Shame it was probably an act.  
  
The sense of dread, like back in the forest grew day by day however. Particularly any time it was just me and Frisk. I didn't know what it meant exactly... but it couldn't be a good omen. It left me on pins and needles feeling like something terrible was about to happen... and I'd soon learn why. Whatever happened though, I was determined to make sure Frisk could be happy as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wild Frisk appears. With this the plot is about to really start kicking off. Frisk I feel is a little tough to write, since you never really get much of a read on them as a character outside of what you end up projecting onto them yourself as a player. Not sure why this chapter was a bit tougher to write than the others, but it's done at least. Hopefully it was worth the wait?


	7. Destiny's Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adversaries begin to mount against the knight, and the danger grows. The shadows cut deeper and darker. However there is still light and hope yet. The child turned knight bids the queen farewell and sets forth with the scholar to seek out the lost wizard, with hope that there will be allies to aid them on their way.

"Hey now. Easy, easy... Slow down there. You're safe. Now explain it to me again slower this time and calmer." I hadn't expected today's patrol to start with me having to calm a small group of thoroughly spooked monsters. Something had really gotten to them, Napstablook being among them.

What sort of thing could scare the bejesus out of a ghost? I was about to find out, and it didn't sit well with me. "It was horrible, Chara!" A loox stammered. "A formless creature blacker than the pits in Waterfall!" A migosp bemoaned. " We barely got away alive. I thought we were dinner for sure!" A vegetoid cried.

A sense of dread sunk into my gut. Napstablook finally spoke. "It was looking for you Chara. It wanted you." So that's how it was. That chill down my spine returned. Taking a deep breath, I spoke. "Get anyone you can find indoors. The ruins aren't safe right now. Once the danger has passed I'll let you all know."

Today was not going to be a good day, clearly. I had my duty to protect these people though. With knife in hand I set out. I was determined to end this before it started, and someone got hurt badly... or god forbid dusted. For safety's sake I made a SAVE at one of those glowing points.

It didn't take long to find the... whatever it was. A swirling mass of black smoke-like tendrils. When I got close however it took a more solid and distinct form. Vaguely humanoid, with a single glowing red line across where its eyes would be. It had been about to attack a small group of froggits, but it seemed my timely arrival drew its focus away giving them a chance to flee.

It spoke slowly, in a voice not unlike one I had only heard in a nightmare, though it sounded like it was muffled as if coming from an old phonograph. This was no monster. "Chara... HP:20/20... ATK:10... DEF: 15... MP: 20/20...?" It tilted it's head like a curious dog as it spoke the last one, not seeming to understand. Did it... just check me?

I already knew what my HP was at. My ATK was something new though. Aggression Transference, Kinetic. Basically just a fancy way of saying how hard I can damage something's HP with an attack that has lethal intent behind it. How magic actually factored into that I had no idea. DEF would be my 'Defensive Emotional Field'. Basically my soul's ability to resist harmful intent and reduce how much HP damage it could take. Apparently tied to a person's force of will.

MP however was a new one. Perhaps it had to do with my new magic talent? I'd call it Magic Potential then, at least until I found someone who knew better what was really going on. I suddenly felt myself pulled into a battle by the thing. "Just... a hindrance... free EXP?" It sounded amused.

I frankly didn't like the way it moved, like some sort of demented and poorly made stop motion animation. I decided to check it and the results were... strange. - HP:50 ATK:??? DEF:??? , Not a monster. Does not know mercy. \- Today was not going to be a good day.

Empowering my knife with magic, I prepared for the worst. This wasn't going to end like that nightmare. Three sharp dark spikes jabbed through the bullet box, as if trying to pin my soul down. I managed to weave around them.

With a fierce swing of the knife, I sent a slash of red magic crashing into it. It's presence seemed to distort from the blow, like a reflection in a puddle when a stone is cast into it. It responded by thrusting an arm forward which turned into a sharp spike which struck into me, sending me reeling.

My vision was blurred a bit from the pain and my HP had been easily drained by a good 5. Calling on my magic, I produced two blades of the stuff, and sent them flying at the creature. Another solid hit. It hardly even staggered however.

Stab after stab, it thrust at me, trying to wear me down. Only a few glancing blows that did 1 HP worth of damage though. My exhaustion was catching up to me however. I needed to end this fast. Closing my eyes, I poured out my magic into an attack.

Feeling like I faintly remembered something, I molded it into a trident of sorts and with a mighty toss, hurled it at the entity. A demon, for lack of a better term. It froze up for a sec as the attack blew a hole clean through it. "Nothing... will...ever... change..." It hissed one last time before bursting into a black mist which faded away. Relief washed over me.

My body had taken a bit of a beating I came to realize, looking myself over. At least half a dozen stinging little cuts and such, and a nasty gash along my left shoulder. I'd need to get those looked at. Monster battles didn't do this much damage to your body.

With the conflict resolved I worked my way back home, letting everyone know it was all clear now. I ate a bit of monster food as well to help tend to my physical wounds a bit and top off my HP. Today was not going to be a good day.

It thankfully didn't take long for me to reach home. I went straight to washing the various injuries and put a bandage across the gash on my shoulder. It was at about this point however that I realized neither Frisk nor Toriel were anywhere in the house.

Had she taken Frisk out to take care of some errands? Was she taking them out to teach them? Toriel always did want to be a teacher. But then Frisk had been staring at the stairs particularly intently today... wait...

No. How did I not notice? Don't tell me the kid... In a panic I ran down the stairs into the hall leading to the doorway. Sure enough there Frisk was, next to Toriel. Toriel seemed particularly sad.

"My expectations... My loneliness... My fear... For you, my child... I will put them aside." She took a heavy breath. "If you truly wish to leave the ruins, I will not try to stop you any further..." She bent down and gave Frisk a warm hug. A slight frown tugged on my face as she let them go. Today was not going to be a good day...

"Hey, kid. Thought I told you to let me know when you were gonna want to leave." They whipped around, a slight mix of shock and shame flashing across their face. "Hey now. It's cool. Just remember for the future." I walked over. "You ok, mom?"

It was not a good feeling seeing her like that. "I will be fine, my child." I managed a smile. "Good. Let's put some tea on then, and bake something tasty." She blinked in surprise. " I promised the kid I'd watch over them if they decided to leave. No way we're leaving right this second though. We need to get some stuff together... and besides. Wouldn't want to leave on such a sad note."

I started making my way back upstairs. " So let's make a happy memory, alright? And besides, I promise I'll be back when it's all over. If you ever get worried I'll be just a call away." A calmed smile washed over Toriel. "Very well, my child. Let us make this a happy occasion, like you said."

Seeing that I had eased her mind helped my own. Tea was served and we made cookies together, Puns and stories were shared around the fireplace. With the end of it some much needed rest was taken. Maybe today wasn't such a bad day after all.

Later supplies were gathered and heartfelt goodbyes were given as I made sure Frisk was wrapped up nice and warm. Standing before the door, I took a deep breath. "Do you really have to leave?" Toriel asked softly. I glanced back to her, smiling. " I do. I made a promise to the kid... and maybe I'll find some answers for myself out there."

Toriel gave a soft sigh, shaking her head slightly, though still smiling. "...I don't understand. Not at all. But... please take care of yourself." Both me and Frisk turned and gave her a hearty thumbs up. "Of course. I'll come back to you. I'll be able to return knowing you'll be there."

To my surprise Frisk spoke up as well, a bit stronger than usual. " Don't ever give up hope... We'll find a way to help everyone, and be together again." I was left somewhere between being proud and keeping my jaw from dropping so much it fell off. That was a near exact quote from the scholar in my stories, and Frisk meant every word of it.

They didn't intend to just leave and be done with it, it seemed. They had much more in mind. Damn, kid... Just... damn. You dream big. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you wanted to find a way to tear down the barrier. I could get behind that.

It seemed Toriel was affected by it as well, tearing up like she was. She pulled us both into one last hug. "I don't want to let go..." A gentle pat on her back and I spoke through slightly gritted teeth. "You... don't have to. We'll see each other again. But... could you possibly hug a bit less tightly? You're kinda crushing us a bit here."

With a bit of a surprised sound, she quickly let the two of us go. Poor Frisk got a bit more of the squishing than I did it seemed. I ruffled their hair back into shape. "I will await your return. If it were possible, I would like to join you, but someone must tend to the flowers. Be safe out there, my children."

"Of course, I got a promise to keep." I looked to Frisk. " Alright 'scholar'. It seems the adventure party is set for now. Let us set off on our quest, just like in the tales of old, huh?" Frisk looked back to me and nodded.

Together we both pushed the door to destiny open, a gust of icy wind biting at us as it creaked wide. The wintry landscape of Snowdin awaited us beyond. Everyone was going to be free, and no demon was going to get in our way. Taking our first steps into the world outside, we set forward filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate chapter title: The chapter where shit gets real. 
> 
> This chapter was actually finished in a relatively short amount of time (2 days!), so hopefully it's still good. Why it wasn't posted right away though? I had a bit of trouble finding time to go over it with the person helping me edit it actually. I imagine if Chara wasn't human she'd make for a very good royal guard.
> 
> Credit to TimeCloneMike for their great stat acronyms from their great story Ebott's Wake.


	8. Interlude 2: Another side, Another story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A child awakens in the underground to find that the world they once thought they understood had changed. Fearing the new unknown and bound to an old duty they feel the need to fulfill, they find that an unlikely companion may yet be a source of hope which they had long ago lost. Embracing the unknown, they set forth with renewed determination.

Frisk couldn't be entirely sure of it, but it felt as though something had changed. The sound of voices nearby and the smell of cinnamon softly in the air roused them from their unconscious state. They hadn't expected to lose their consciousness when they jumped down the hole. Why they came here? Something to save for another day.  
  
They hadn't expect to find themselves in this bed either, nor with the two people in the same room as them. The tall motherly goat-like one didn't bother them. Warm and safe, they thought subconsciously. The other one though was another human, though they were strange. Humans didn't normally have eyes that red. They couldn't help but jump a bit.  
  
"Hey kid. Easy there. You're safe." They held their hands up in front of them to demonstrate they had no ill intent. " The name's Chara. I'm a human too. One of the cool ones though, y'know?" Another human here besides them? Something about that didn't... feel like it was supposed to be.  
  
Chara... That name seemed familiar to Frisk, a distant part of Frisk's mind telling them it should fill them with the dread and terror of being before the devil itself, yet the reality of the Chara before them was something different... but they still felt Chara wasn't supposed to be here deep down.  
  
The sudden unfamiliarity of things caught up to them. Frisk tried not to, but they started to panic. Why was everything so different? Why didn't they remember certain things? Why couldn't they reach their SAVE? Toriel gave them a reassuring look. "And I am Toriel. There is no need to be alarmed, my child. Are you hungry?"  
  
The effect of her words were almost instant. The kid stopped breathing so heavily and seeming on the verge of fainting again. After processing Toriel's question a moment they nodded slightly, their stomach grumbling softly.  
  
"Ah. Then I will get you some pie. Would you like some as well, Chara?" Chara gave her a thumbs up. "Sure. I'll look after the kid while you go get it." And so it was just the two of them now. "Hey... You got a name? I think calling you kid is gonna get old for us both really fast."  
  
They took a long moment before speaking, their voice barely a whisper. "...Frisk." Chara arched an eyebrow at that. Was Frisk a strange name...? "Frisk, huh. Well nice to meet ya. Kinda remind me a little of when I was your age. How old are you anyways?"  
  
They held up 7 fingers, not feeling comfortable enough to speak more. A thoughtful and worried frown touched Chara's lips. "7, huh?" They smiled... or at least tried to fake smiling. "Well I just turned 16 a few days ago myself, hahaha. Us young folk gotta stick together."  
  
They stared up at the ceiling a bit in thought as Frisk weakly kicked their legs over the bed's side. "Hey. While we're waiting for that pie, want some chocolate?" They rustled into a pocket and offered Frisk a bar of it, probably as a gesture of good faith.  
  
Frisk stared at it a second before shaking their head no vigorously and sticking their tongue out in a fake gagging. Chocolate? Seriously? Gross. Chara was weird. Hopefully the pie would be good at least. It smelled good.  
  
Sitting down cross legged across from Frisk, Chara bit into the chocolate bar. Their eyes widened slightly as if remembering something."Hey... wanna hear a story? Just thought of one. " A thoughtful head tilt before Frisk nodded eagerly. Perhaps Chara's stories would be cool.  
  
"Alright. So a long time ago there was a knight most brave. She had a best friend who was a kind monster wizard prince of great power. This is the tale of one of their adventures together." A human knight, and a monster wizard? Interesting. It didn't take a genius to see that Chara was supposed to be the knight. Who would that make the wizard though?  
  
At one time the knight and the wizard were rivals. Almost adversaries even. However the knight grew to respect the wizard, for he cared deeply for his people and kingdom. The knight could not say the same, being a knight errant who did not truly know what they were fighting for, so on that day she swore herself as his sword and shield.  
  
When she learned of the plight of his kingdom she promised that she would be by his side and see that it was saved. And so their quest began. Eventually they met the scholar. Frisk realized pretty quickly that Chara was describing them to some degree.  
  
The bond between the knight and wizard grew closer as they went on... but then one day the wizard vanished. The knight had lost their purpose again... and something deeper in their heart.  The scholar was there however to steer them on the right course. Find the prince. Save the kingdom. Everyone deserves a chance at a happy ending.  
  
She considered Frisk someone to trust it seemed. Frisk wondered if they could be that person Chara believed in. They had determination... but not the ability to make SAVEs anymore. They knew what they needed to do... but perhaps there was something else that could be done? Frisk wasn't sure though.  
  
Then the story was over. Not because there was an ending, but because Chara had run out of ideas to continue. One thing Frisk had realized for sure at this point. Normally they would have tried to leave the ruins by now. They were curious about Chara now.  
  
Time passed as they became properly acquainted with the ruins, and it seemed that Chara had picked up on their desire to eventually leave. "I can understand if you don't wanna stay, but please. Just give it a little time and thought first, before you decide. If you're absolutely sure you want to go... I'll take you myself."  
  
A promise to take Frisk beyond the ruins, like they had intended at first. Frisk decided they would give it some time like Chara had asked of them. Months went by as they really got to know Chara and Toriel. Toriel... kind, sweet and with a deep desire to one day be a teacher, but with deep wounds in her heart. She had lost children, both her own and 6 more that had fallen before Frisk and Chara. It has left it's mark on her. She doesn't deserve that kind of pain. A parent should never have to outlive their children.  
  
Chara...  Witty, A bit sarcastic, Has a big heart and desire to help and protect those close to her,and is incredibly determined... however she does not seem to know herself well, and has unanswered questions that always nag at her. If she doesn't know herself, how can she find her place in the world? Chara asks herself that question a lot, even if she doesn't speak it out loud.  
  
Frisk couldn't stay however. They had to go... and they couldn't bare to tell Chara, despite their promise to guide them. It was easy to see that Chara was happy here. They didn't want to take Chara away from that. So one day while Chara was out on patrol they attempted to leave.  
  
However Toriel found them. "My child, what are you...?" It would have been easier for everyone if they just let Frisk vanish.  "Please my child, just go back upstairs. It's not safe for one so young down here."  
  
Frisk could probably have made a break for the door here. Been out into Snowdin before she had time to finish thinking... why did they hesitate now? The fear and distress in Toriel's eyes grew.  
  
They quickly brushed past Frisk and stood before the door. "Please, my child. Return upstairs. I only want what's best for you..." But Frisk was determined. This is what they had to do... and it hurt them to do it.  
  
Toriel's breath hitched a bit. "Every human that falls down here meets the same fate. I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave. They die. I..." Toriel tried to make Frisk change their mind... but Frisk was determined. "If you leave the Ruins... I am only protecting you, do you understand? Go to your room." But Frisk refused.  
  
"You want to leave so badly...?" Toriel's head hung, their shoulders shaking. It was difficult to see her face from this angle, but the pain was clear. " You are just like the others... There is only one solution to this it seems... Prove to me you are strong enough to survive."  
  
Toriel looked up, her face a passive mask. The pain in her eyes was deep and profound however. Frisk knew what was coming, even as their soul was pulled into battle. -Toriel blocks the way-  
  
Frisk checked her. Chara got them into the habit of that... -Toriel HP: 440 ATK: 80 DEF: 80, Doesn't want this either\- Waves of fire magic passed at either side of Frisk. Frisk could feel the heat slightly, but it never came close to touching them. They stood fast. "What are you doing?" Toriel questioned.  
  
More waves of flame passed. Stronger than before. "Attack or run away!" She was doing what she thought was best, in the throes of fear and pain. Profound heartache. Frisk refused to fight or flee. Mercy was their path.  
  
A wave of her hands and more balls of flame came forth. "What are you proving this way?" Tears threatened to burst forth as her facade started to crumble. "I know you want to go home, but..." Her arms shook and fell to her sides. "But please... Go upstairs now."  
  
But Frisk refused. "I promise I...  Chara and I will take good care of you here. I know we do not have much, but... We can have a good life here." Frisk stood, silent as the grave. " Ha ha... Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child."  
  
"No, I understand." Toriel sniffed softly. "You would just be unhappy trapped down there. The Ruins are very small once you get used to them. It would not be right for you to grow up in a place like this." Toriel finally shook her head, resigned. "My expectations... My loneliness... My fear...  For you, my child... I will put them aside." And with that, the 'battle' was over.  
  
She took a heavy breath. "If you truly wish to leave the ruins, I will not try to stop you any further..." She bent down and gave Frisk a warm hug. A slight frown tugged on their face as she let them go.This wasn't what Frisk wanted, they realized... but it was what had to happen. A voice cut through the air.  
  
"Hey, kid.  Thought I told you to let me know when you were gonna want to leave." Frisk turned around in surprise. Chara. They had almost forgotten about Chara in their focus to leave. Oh dear.  
  
Chara hadn't forgotten their promise to Frisk it seemed.  As things started to play out, and Chara turned what should have been a bitter moment into a happy memory, Frisk started to feel something they hadn't felt in quite a while. Hope. Perhaps there was something to what they said?  
  
Supplies were gathered and heartfelt goodbyes were given as Chara made sure Frisk was wrapped up nice and warm, making sure they were ready for what was to come. "Do you really have to leave?" Toriel asked softly. Chara glanced back to her, smiling. " I do. I made a promise to the kid... and maybe I'll find some answers for myself out there."  
  
Toriel gave a soft sigh, shaking her head slightly, though with a warm smiling. Better than the bitter smile she had before. "...I don't understand. Not at all. But... please take care of yourself." Both Chara and Frisk turned and gave her a hearty thumbs up. "Of course. I'll come back to you. I'll be able to return knowing you'll be there."  
  
Frisk spoke up as well, feeling strongly that this was something they needed to say. " Don't ever give up hope... We'll find a way to help everyone, and be together again." The look of surprise across Chara's face was something to behold. The words of the patient and wise scholar that had been the knight's close companion. Frisk would be Chara's scholar.  
  
They couldn't just leave and be done with it. Not this time. They had much more in mind. They were going to take their life into their own hands now. 'The story isn't over until the kingdom is saved and the three friends are reunited', as Chara put it.  
  
It seemed Toriel was affected by it as well, tearing up like she was. She pulled them both into one last hug. "I don't want to let go..." A gentle pat on her back and Chara spoke through slightly gritted teeth. "You... don't have to. We'll see each other again. But... could you possibly hug a bit less tightly? You're kinda crushing us a bit here." It was a bit tight, actually, now that Frisk thought about it.  
  
With a bit of a surprised sound, she quickly let the two go, possibly worried she actually hurt them. Chara ruffled Frisk's hair back into shape, with a smile. After a moment Toriel spoke.  "I will await your return. If it were possible, I would like to join you, but someone must tend to the flowers. Be safe out there, my children."  
  
"Of course, I got a promise to keep." Chara looked to Frisk. " Alright 'scholar'. It seems the adventure party is set for now. Let us set off on our quest, just like in the tales of old, huh?" Frisk looked back to them and nodded. It was finally time to go. Not as someone who broke a loving heart, but as someone who would make them proud while they changed the world.  
  
Together they both pushed the door to destiny open, a gust of icy wind biting at them as it creaked wide. The wintry landscape of Snowdin awaited them beyond. Everyone was going to be free. Everyone. Taking their first steps into the world outside, they set forward filled with determination. There was no telling what the future might hold... but that didn't scare Frisk anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A look at the events of Chapter 5 and 6 from Frisk's perspective. I was initially unsure if I should do it since it almost felt like cheating a bit, but I decided to go for it since they are a very important character in their own right and I think it'd be interesting and grant a nice bit of insight to see their side of things.
> 
> In other news, Undertale has had it's 1st anniversary! Which honestly everyone probably already knows by now, but yay none the less! Maybe this story will actually be done in time for the 2nd anniversary?


	9. Bone Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Dangerous amounts of puns ahead. 
> 
> The knight and their companion are beset abruptly by a strange character. While intimidating at first, it appears that threatening appearances are often only skin deep. Having met the comedian ranger, the two continue their quest.

To say it was cold would be an understatement. Even wrapped up warm with my scarf and hoodie, I shivered a bit. A winter-like dense alpine forest stretched before the two of us with a neatly kept, but thin path through it.  
  
This was all still underground? I found that a little hard to believe, but given there was a rocky ceiling high above, I had to believe it. Monsters really lived among the mountain's roots, buried and forgotten by the callous and frightened humans of old. I silently cursed those humans, wherever their souls might now be, as we set forth down the path.  
  
I packed some of the fresh snow into an empty water bottle for later. I was glad I saved them. Being able to have some water on hand at all times was a good survival tactic for myriad reasons, even in this frigid cold.  
  
I paused a moment, noticing a glint from a bush. Brushing some leaves aside, I found myself a bit surprised. There was a camera set up in it. Much fancier than the old video camera I found in my room and now carried with me in hopes of finding parts to fix it.  
  
A bit more examination and it was clear it was some variety of security type camera. Very well made and with a small transmitter of sorts on it. Who ever set it up probably knew we were here already and knew that we knew they knew, so no point in trying to disable it or trying to fake not noticing.  
  
Well, instead of senseless vandalism I decided it'd be more prudent to leave a good impression. Smile and a pair of finger guns. Wink for good measure. Frisk just waved without changing their expression an inch.  
  
Continuing down the batch, I gently kept some sparks of red magic in one hand. It was a bit dark at the moment, and it wouldn't hurt for there to be some light to help us keep going. A loud snap resounded through the woods behind us.  
  
Was that... the thick branch we'd both passed earlier? Unease set in. Were we being followed? I picked up my pace a little, the snow crunching underfoot. Slow and deliberate ones followed behind us.  
  
Everything came to a head at a crevice with a wood bridge spanning it. A looong way down from the looks of it. Definitely deeper than where I first fell. I'd rather not take the short way down.  
  


Crunch, crunch, crunch. The foot steps came to a stop behind us. I felt frozen to the spot. Were we really going to be attacked less than an hour out of the ruins? Frisk gripped my hand tightly. A voice spoke from just behind us. "Human... don't you know how to greet a new pal?"

  
  


I felt an icy tingle down my spine of dreaded anticipation. The tension was like an oppressive fog. "Turn around and shake my hand." I turned slowly, a slightly shorter figure in front of me, hand extended. It was hard to make them out in the shadows just outside the torchlight of the bridge. Two small white points where their eyes would be though.

  
  
Alright Chara. Time to put a little faith in people for once. I reached out and took their hand, horror scenarios of all sorts playing through me head. What I didn't expect was for a particularly wet and rude noise to rip through the night air, resonating for a good bit before dying down in a high pitched squeaky whine, and soundly murdering any tension in the moment.  
  


"Heheheh... Ol' whoopee cushion in the hand trick. It's ALWAYS funny." I sat there stunned entirely. I don't know what I expected, but it sure wasn't that. The person stepped into the light, proudly showing off the miniature whoopee cushion in hand.

  
  


Oh Christ. He was a walking talking anatomy lesson. "Anyways, you're a human, right?" He said, completely ignoring me, to my annoyance and addressing Frisk instead. They nodded quietly. "That's hilarious. Name's Sans. Sans the skeleton."

  
  
And sure enough, he was a skeleton alright. A bit on the stout side with a heavy fur lined hoodie, which actually reminded me a tiny bit of my own, a white tee shirt with what I guessed where ketchup stains from the looks of it, some black pants and... fluffy white dog shaped slippers?  
  


For being a skeleton, his face was surprisingly flexible it seemed, though he seemed to always have a shit eating grin. "I'm actually supposed to be watching out for humans right now." Sans rocked back on his heels slightly. "Buuuut... y'know. I don't really feel like capturing anybody." A grin and a wink.

  
  


"Well that's mighty convenient." I mused, not quite believing him. He just shrugged before leaning forward a bit. "My brother Papyrus on the other hand. He's a human hunting FANATIC. Heheh. Hey, I think that's him over there now that I think about it. Alright. Let's just go over the bridge... don't mind the gate thingy, he made the wood bars too wide to actually stop anyone."

  
  


With that we were rather hurriedly ushered across. "Alright, short stuff, you can hide behind that conveniently shaped lamp and..." He paused, staring at me as if suddenly realizing I existed as Frisk hid behind said oddly out of place lamp. "Aha. You, quick quick. Behind the guard post. Mind the ketchup bottles."

  
  
He swiftly ushered me along, and not too gently shoved me down under the counter top of the somewhat ramshackle guard post nearby. Sure enough the ground was littered with emptied condiment bottles. The smell of ketchup was overwhelming.  
  


Not even a moment later rapid crunching footsteps of snow approached, at swift speed. I could only assume that was Papyrus. Another skeleton? "Sup, Bro?" Sans asked in his usual laid back baritone.

  
  


A second voice responded. It for lack of a better description, sounded like Skeletor from the He-Man cartoons trying desperately to sound gallant and erudite. " You know what 'sup,' brother! It's been eight days and still haven't...Recalibrated. Your. PUZZLES!" Papyrus all but shrieked at his brother.

  
  


Oof. Papyrus was really laying into him it seems. "You just hang around outside your station! What are you even doing?!" Hoo boy. I got to be a fly on the wall for their sibling dispute. Joy. "

Staring at this lamp. It's really cool.

" Sans replied. Was it possible to verbally wink? "Do you wanna look?" ... Oh son of a-

  
  
"No! I don't have time for that!" Papyrus shouted back, stomping a foot repeatedly in annoyance. Oh what the hell, Sans. Good thing Papyrus seemed far more concerned with other matters. "What if a human comes through here?! I want to be ready! I want to be the one! I must be the one! I will capture a human!"  
  
Sans wasn't kidding about the fanaticism it seems. "Then I, the great Papyrus, will get all the things I utterly deserve! Respect... recognition... I will finally be able to join the royal guard! People will ask to be my... friend? I will bathe in a shower of kisses every morning!" Woah woah woah. Royal guard? Now my interest was had.  
  


Sans sounded like he could barely contain his laughter. "Hmm... maybe this lamp will help you. Or the guard post." Oh god damn it, Sans. "Sans!! You are not helping!! You lazy bones! All you do is sit and... and... BOONDOGGLE!" Wait. Was boondoggle even a word? I'd have to look that up later.

  
  


"You get lazier and lazier every day!" Papyrus shrieked. I was starting to get the feeling that yelling was just his default vocal tone by now. "Hey, take it easy. I've gotten a TON of work done today." Sans rattled off. "Sans....!" "A... Skele-TON!" An audible 'badum tsh' resounded through the air. Oh god. Bone puns. "SANS!!"

  
  


"Come on, you're smiling." Huh... mom likes puns. Maybe I could spare a bit of her's. See what Sans thought of them? He seemed quite the comedian. "I am, and I hate it!" Papyrus snapped back. Papyrus gave a deep sigh. "Why does someone as great as me... have to do so much to get some recognition..."

  
  


Sans wasted no time replying. "Wow. Sounds like you're really working yourself..." Oh boy, here we go again. "Down to the bone." Badum tsh. "Ugh.... I will attend to my puzzles now, thank you very much... As for your work? Put a little more... 'backbone' into it! Nyeheheheheheheheheheh!...Heh." And with that, Papyrus was off.

  
  


Well. That happened. "Ok. You two can come out now." Thank Christ, I was starting to get a bit green in the face from the cloying ketchup fumes. Stretching and popping my joints a bit, as I enjoyed the fresh cold crisp air like manna from heaven, I walked over, Frisk not far off. Poor kid seemed a bit stiff from having to stand still so long in the cold.

  
  


"Good grief, Sans... You had me going for a second there. So that's your bro, huh?" A fond look washed over his face. "Yep. Only family I got in this crazy little world. Might bust each others chops a lot but he means the world to me."

  
  


Closing his eye sockets with a sigh before opening them a gain to speak. "Say. What's your name, kid?" I rubbed my hands together a bit, eager to get back underway honestly. "It's Chara... and the kid here is Frisk. The 'scholar' to my 'knight'." Sans nodded to himself a bit. "That so, huh. Well see you around then." With that we were under way agai-

  
  


"Actually, hey... hate to bother ya but... can you do me a favor?" I whipped around, back to him. "Ya see... I was thinking. My brother's been kinda down lately. He's never actually SEEN a human before, and seeing you two might just make his day." I stared blankly at him. "Umm... but isn't he gonna try and capture us or something."

  
  


Sans chuckled to himself a bit. "Hahaha... Don't worry. Papyrus is the furthest thing from dangerous, even if he puts up a tough face sometimes. It'd really mean a lot to me." Well... I'd already went out on a limb trusting Sans twice and it'd paid off, albeit with him screwing with us a little. Why not double down, I guess?

  
  


"Sure. I guess I can give it a shot. Me and the kid have a bit of a mission though, so we probably can't stick around for too long I'm afraid. Sans gave a warm chuckle, seeming a bit brighter now. "Thanks a million, kiddo. I'll meet you both up ahead."

  
  


"Haha. Sure. Can't wait to see you again. I like your jokes a skeleTON. Hopefully you won't run BONE dry on me." Sans nearly doubled over with laughter after a moment of initial surprise. "Hahahaha... Oh man, kid. I knew I had a good feeling about you. Where'd you get that sense of humor? Really tickled my funny bone."

  
  


Ah... Toriel. I was gonna miss her already it seems. " I got it from mom. She's quite the punster herself. Hopefully she isn't too bonely. " A wink from me. "See you around, Sans." Sans wiped a teardrop from his eye, and waved. "Hahahaha... yeah. Get goin' kid. Don't wanna keep my bro waiting too long, huh?" I nodded and set off, with Frisk in tow. The kid looked back, and gave Sans a thumbs up as we went.

  
  
Soft snow fall drifted as we continued down the way. Reaching into a pocket, I pulled out my cellphone and gave Toriel a call to ward off the growing homesickness. Ring... ring... "Hey mom, how you doing? Just checking in to let you know that the kid and I are alright. You won't believe it, but we just made a friend. He likes puns almost as much as you do. A real comedian, he is." Hearing her voice filled me with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A spooky skeleton appears and the fandom rejoices. At least I hope they do. I know the skelebros are one of the more popular characters so I'm hoping I get them right. Edit: Good news, I figured the fonts out!
> 
> Things went relatively canon for this chapter, though Chara knows someone's watching them and now that someone knows they know. It seems she's gotten Sans' interest as well. I wonder how those will shake things up? Changes certainly are coming down the line. The question is just what effect the ripples will have on everything.


	10. Ice to meet you, Mr. Papyrus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Siblings. They can drive you crazy, and be a general pain in the ass. However they should never ever be taken for granted. Do right by them if possible, and at the very least spare a thought for them. You only get one after all.

  
"Dimensional box, huh?" I stared in curiosity at the odd box sitting on the corner of a cross roads. A nearby sign gave a short description of it, describing it as 'instanced long distance mass storage'. Basically I could stick stuff in it and use it like a sort of safety deposit box and access whatever I put in it at any time from other dimensional boxes.  
  
Pretty badass, and bound to be handy. And the best part is that it was free to use. I packed away some items for future use. Nothing important that I'd miss at the least. I wasn't sure I trusted it to be completely theft proof.  
  
The crossroads itself continued forward with a fork to the left which lead up to a riverside. Another source of water to keep in mind for our survival. It'd be a bit tougher supporting the kid as well as myself, but I figured I knew enough to give us a sporting chance.  
  
Assuming things didn't go horribly with Papyrus at least. I was putting my faith on the line here... among other things. You can't always go assuming the worst though, right? I'd spent far too long doing that on the surface.  
  
Was it a mistake? Maybe. "Golly, you two are really something!" Oh hi, Flowey. I glanced to the sentient flower which popped up out of nowhere. "Welly well. It's everyone's favorite talking flower. Decided you want to follow us on our little adventure, huh? Isn't Snowdin a bit too cold for you?"  
  
Frisk was definitely a bit perturbed by their presence, sticking close to me. Huh, did 'scholar' know? "Bah, Snowdin's nothing. It's not like I can feel a thing, you know!" Flowey bounced with false joy. Their smile faded to a blank expression. "I mean... I'm hollow on the inside after all. Can't feel a spark of anything good in me, Chara."  
  
Oof... that was heavy. So he couldn't really feel anything good? That explained a hell of a lot. "Flowey... I doubt you'll accept it, but... man, that's rough. I feel bad for you." A cackle from Flowey and a nasty grin. Frisk flinched at that. "You both must think you're very clever, making up your own rules for things, trying to be nice to me and show me pity. Save it, 'knight'. Don't you have anything better to do?"  
  
I gave a casual smile back. You have no power here, flower. "Oh i've got plenty of things I could be doing. Right now though? I think I can remind you that you should be pretending to play nice." Flowey frowned slightly before returning to their happy facade. "Golly, Chara. You really are something." The smile becomes teasing. Knowing. "I'm glad i've got a best friend like you!"  
  
Flowey was talking to me, but...their...? His...? I guess I could call them a he since they sounded like one, but  I mean... they are a flower. Ah well... He will do. His focus was on Frisk. "Word of warning. I used to have that power of yours myself once." What was he on about?  
  
"The determination to SAVE.  So did your little 'scholar'. It defaults to the person with the highest determination. Don't think it will protect you this time though. Something's changed, and all the boogeymen are crawling out of the shadows... and they want YOUR blood Chara."  
  
Flowey bounced like a deranged slinky, before winking. "But ol' Flowey here can't have that! This is all much too interesting for you to just die! It's been a LONG time since things were this interesting. Because I'm such a friend, I even went ahead and solved a couple puzzles for you two!"  
  
Frisk looked conflicted for a bit before speaking. "Thanks Mr. Flowey..." Poor Frisk, still shy I guess. Can't blame them with Flowey though.  "Hehehehe... Don't get cocky.... and remember. I know what you did." Frisk recoiled like they'd been slapped at those words. "Not that it matters now, it seems... World's changing, and it's gonna get messy."  
  
Flowey's smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. "So riddle me this, 'knight'. Now that you are faced with a ruthless and relentless killer, what will you do? Survive, or die? Will you be able to protect your friends as well? I'll be eager to see your answer!" With a final wink, Flowey ducked into the ground and burrowed away before I could press him for what he meant.  
  
There was no point waiting for him to come back, so we kept going, though his words did bother me a bit. I pushed the thoughts aside when I noticed there were two figures ahead in heated discussion.  
  
One of them was Sans. Wait a tic, when did he slip past us? The other was a tall, perhaps anatomically inaccurate skeleton with a skull more vertical and geometric than Sans, though somehow refined in it's appearance. A silver-white chest plate with gold trim, orange-red gloves with gold trim, blue briefs with a golden belt, and knee-high, orange-red boots made up his rather unorthodox attire. The flapping red scarf he wore looked pretty neat though.  
  
My attention was drawn to his chest plate however. Some manner of symbol on it that I recalled seeing in some book somewhere perhaps? A downward black triangle with three rectangles under it. Shaking my head, I brushed the thought aside. The person before us, was this Papyrus? My question was answered the moment they spoke.  
  


"So, as I was saying about Undyne," Papyrus exclaimed, before pausing a moment to look our way, then to Sans, and back, taking multiple double takes along with his brother. He bent down next to his shorter sibling, bringing a hand to the side of his face to whisper to them as both Frisk and I stood stock still.

  
  


"Sans! Oh my god! Is that... a human?!" He sounded quite breathless. Not hard with him being a skeleton and all. "Uuuh... Actually I think that's a rock." Gesturing behind us, at a moderately sized conveniently placed boulder. Papyrus blinked after a moment. "Oh." Sans grinned, continuing his japery.

  
  
"Hey. What's that in front of the rock?" He pointed right at me. Papyrus sat there, stunned for a moment, his face alight in awe. "OH MY GOD! Sans... is... is that actually a human? I've never seen one before." Papyrus, bless his soul, sounded like a kid on Christmas day. "Yep bro, that's a human." That's right Papyrus. Soak it in. We're 100% awesome human.

  
  
Papyrus's eye sockets grew even wider. "OH MY GOD! Sans! I finally did it! Undyne will... I'm gonna... I'll be so... popular! Popular! Popular!... Ahem... Humans!" Papyrus gestured proudly at me and Frisk. "You shall not pass... this area! I, the GREAT Papyrus, shall stop you! I will then capture you! And you will be delivered to the capital! And..."  
  


Papyrus faltered a bit, a look of confusion crossing his face. He paused a moment, rubbing the top of his skull, and seemed almost like a lost child. "And... I'm not actually sure what happens next! In any case! Small human, taller human! Continue... only if you dare! Nyeh heh heh heh heh heh!" And with that, Papyrus ran forth, his scarf flapping behind him, as he laughed the whole way. He was clearly having a grand old time.

  
  
Sans leaned against a tree at the path side, grinning to himself. "Well, that went well." I leaned on the tree across from him. "I'd say it did. He looked like he was having a grand ol' time." Frisk shuffled about a bit before speaking. "Papyrus... is nice. Needs friends." They looked to me.  
  
"Frisk's pretty on the ball, huh. Yeah. My bro is... well, he can be a bit too energetic and eccentric for some people. So he has trouble making friends. Papyrus is all the family I got left, and he means the world to me." Sans sighed to himself, seeming a bit sullen for once. It was... strange seeing him like that. "I wanna do right by him."  
  
I smiled a bit to myself, before shaking my head. "You know Sans. If you just wanted us to be his friend, all you'd have to do is ask. He seems a bit on the excitable side, but not a bad person. I don't think you'd have to go through all this trouble just to make him happy." Sans swept his hand as if brushing my words aside.  
  
"Hey. Don't sweat it, kid. I'm just doing what I feel's right... and you know, I'm feeling pretty good today. Feels like I can afford to care for once. See you two around, I'll be keeping an eye socket out for you." A wink, and Sans was off, leaving the two of us.  
  
Nothing to do but follow along, we continued. Another sign, with a guard shack nearby. This one with big bold letters saying 'absolutely NO MOVING!' Wait, what? Frisk continued forward, only to freeze as a head popped up from behind the counter of the guard stand.  
  
Some variety of humanoid dog monster. Black around the eyes and ears, with the rest of them a pleasant fluffy white. Oh Christ, they were wearing a cotton candy pink muscle shirt and leopard-print stretch pants. "Did something move?" They grumble, a slightly smoldering dog treat sticking out of their mouth.  
  
"Was it my imagination? I can only see moving things... If something WAS moving... for example, a human... I'll make sure it never moves aga-" Before they can even finished their thought, Frisk was petting them. The dog monster guard, Doggo judging by the plate on the counter saying 'Hi! My name is Doggo!', freezed up in surprise.  
  
"What?! I've been pet!... Pat? Pot? Pet?" They barked out in confusion, not sure which word to use. More petting from Frisk. Kid... "Where's it coming from?!" Doggo called out in surprise, not really upset about it though if their tail was any indication.  
  
Eventually Frisk let up, still as a statue now. Doggo looked around in confusion, clearly not seeing either of us for some reason. "S-S-S-Something pet me... something that isn't m-m-m-moving... I'm gonna need some dog treats for this..." Having said that, they rushed off.  
  
A few more yards and Sans again... "Hey there. Uh... I forgot to give you a handy bit of advice. You see, some monsters, especially my brother have a special kind of attack. It's called a blue attack. Real easy to tell since it looks light blue."  
  
Sans rustled through his coat a bit. "Now all you gotta do is not move, and the attack won't hurt you. Pretty wild, huh? Might be hard to remember so I came up with a handy little mnemonic for that."  
  
Sans dug through a bit more fervently. "Now imagine a stop sign. When you see a stop sign, you stop, right? Stop signs are red... so imagine a blue stop sign. Simple, right?" Wait, what? I stared at him blankly. "So when you're in a fight just imagine blue attacks like blue stop signs." He winked, and slipped me a piece of paper. It had his number on it. -Sans' number obtained-  
  
"Oh, and my brother's just up ahead again. Catch you there." Not even a few feet and the forest opened to a clearing with... Papyrus and Sans talking again? But... I turned back to find Sans wasn't behind us. What in the world...  
  
"You are so lazy! You were napping all night!" Sans shrugged. "I think that's called... sleeping." Papyrus wagged his boney finger at Sans "Excuses, excuses!" I decided to break up the argument by clearing my throat. "Oh-ho! The human and tiny human arrive!"  
  
Papyrus posed heroically "In order to stop you, my brother and I have created some puzzles! I think you will find this one... quite shocking! For you see..." Papyrus grinned proudly, as Sans winked knowingly to us.  
  
"This is the invisible... electricity maze! When you touch the walls this orb..." Papyrus hefted a shimmery metal ball in one hand. "Will administer a hearty zap! Sound like fun, human and smaller human? Because... the amount of fun you will probably have... is actually rather small I think." He idly rolled the ball between his two hands. He was really hamming things up with this.  
  
"Ok, you can go ahead now!" Wait. But he still had the orb. Well, no looking a gift horse in the mou- "I think the human has to hold the orb, bro. " God damn it Sans. Rubbing his chin thoughtfully while staring at the orb Papyrus replied "Quite right, Sans..." Papyrus proudly strutted through the maze, orb in hand. It's at this point I realized there's... another hole in their puzzle. Sans just kept smiling knowingly. "Here. Hold this, human." He hefted the orb into my hands.  
  
Papyrus quickly returned to his side of the puzzle, following the same path, leaving deep footprints in the snow. "Ok, now try humans! There is no way you can possibly best... my... maze... oh..." Following his footprints through the maze with Frisk, we both handily reached the other side, standing before him.  
  
Papyrus stared for a moment, a mix of shock on his bony face and... was that relief? "Incredible, you slippery snail! You solved it so easily... too easily! However! The next puzzle will not be so easy! It is designed by my brother, Sans!  You will surely be confounded! I know I am! Nyeh heh heh heh!" And with that, Papyrus swiftly moon walked into the distance. Wait... what?  
  
"Well Sans... that was a thing. Seems like he's having a lot of fun though." Sans nodded to himself a little as he followed along beside us. "Yeah. Thanks, kid. It... means a lot. By the way, you know that outfit he's wearing? We both made it once upon of time for a costume party. Hasn't worn anything else since come to think of it." Sans rubbed his chin as the snowy landscape passed by.  
  
"Heh... man, isn't my brother cool?" Thinking on it, Papyrus actually was kinda starting to grow on me a bit. That enthusiasm of his was contagious for sure. "You know, I was a bit skeptical at first, but he seems like a great guy."  
  
My thoughts were interrupted by Papyrus crying out. "Human, much smaller human! I hope you are prepared!... Sans... where is the puzzle? " Papyrus seemed bemused now. Sans walked over, and pointed to the ground. "S'right there, Paps. Trust me, there's no way they can get past this one." Looking to where he's pointing, there was what seemed to be just a sheet of paper.  
  
Picking it up it's... oh Christ. In big colorful words across the top it reads 'Monster Kidz word search'. It looks like it's been hastily printed out or photo copied even. Minimal effort at best. I just gave Sans a look that said 'seriously?' before putting it down and walking over to them.  
  
"Sans.... THAT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Sans just shrugged, taking Papyrus' shrill scream in stride. "Whoops. I knew I should have used today's crossword instead." Papyrus seemed ready to blow a gasket. "What?! Crossword?! I can't believe you just said that! In my opinion... Junior Jumble is easily the hardest."  
  
Sans, ever the one to take things in stride, barely reacted. " What? Really, dude? That easy-peasy word scramble? That's for baby bones." Papyrus stared at Sans in disbelief. "Un... believable. HUMANS! Solve this dispute!" Lost for how to respond, I looked to Frisk.  
  
Frisk without hesitation piped up. "Junior Jumble is." Not wanting to feel like a third wheel I piped up as well. "Yeah. Junior Jumble is totally a brain buster!" Papyrus became overjoyed, triumphantly posing. "Ha! Ha! Yes! I told you Sans! Humans must be very intelligent if they also find Junior Jumble so difficult!"  
  
And once more it was us and Sans. "Man. He's something else, huh? Thanks for saying Junior Jumble, just to appease him, kid. Yesterday he got stumped trying to 'solve' the horoscope, you know. Just the kinda person he is."  
  
I looked to Sans as we continued. "Say... why'd you give me your number?" He just gave a knowing smile. "Like I said earlier. Feels like I can afford to care for once." Cryptic... but not ominous at least, unlike Flowey. Sans was definitely someone who knew more than me though, and wasn't keen to share yet.  
  
We passed by an already deactivated puzzle, the spikes receded, allowing us to keep going forward. Two hooded dog monsters approached, and were swiftly dealt with when Frisk tossed the stick they had been carrying about into the woods. Well that was...  
  
"How'd you know that'd work, Frisk?" The kid just shrugged. "Dogs like sticks?" That... well... that was actually kinda logical I guess?  What the heck, I'd roll with it. A bit further on we came across a sort of switch puzzle following a similar principle to the ones in the ruins.  
  
Step on the panels, and turn all the Xs to Os in the process then push the button when they're all Os. Except this one was already done for us. A few golden flower petals rested near one of the buttons... Flowey's handiwork? It seemed they had kept their word... but to what end were they going with this?  
  
Not long past the spikes for the puzzle stood Papyrus. He seemed more in a chatting mood rather than a 'catch the human' mood this time. "Greetings humans!... And brother! You know... sometimes I wonder what my brother would do without someone as cool as me in his life!"  
  
A far more complex version of the last puzzle sat before us. Papyrus rubbed his chin. "Human... How do I put this... " Being called human was starting to wear on me a little. "You could call me Chara, you know. That's my name." Papyrus tilted his head thoughtfully. "Chara, hmm? An interesting name for a human. Anyways... as I was saying."  
  
He gestured to the puzzle before us. It seemed... a bit of a mess on closer examination. "While you and your companions were on your way here I decided I would try to improve upon the puzzle by making it look more like my glorious face but... in the process I appear to have... broken it. I suppose what I am saying is..."  
  
Papyrus posed dramatically, his scarf flapping in the wind. He... actually looked rather striking like that. "I, the Great Papyrus, will solve this conundrum! Then we can both proceed! In the meanwhile, please feel free to try the puzzle yourself. I'll try not to give away the-"  
  
Click. Before he could finish his thought, Frisk had flipped a switch hidden on a tree and stepped on the button, solving the puzzle via some sort of fail safe. "Heh. The clever 'scholar' is at it again I see."  
  
Papyrus did a double take a moment before working up the composure to speak again. "It would seem you've solved it! And without my help... I'm impressed. You must care about puzzles like I do!"  
  
Placing a hand to his chest plate, Papyrus put on a most sincere expression. "It has been much a pleasure to have a rival of wit such as you two. Why, this next puzzle might even be too easy for you. Now then, onward my curious companions! There is more to be had before we reach Snowdin yet!" Papyrus pointed onward, seemingly having forgotten that he was supposed to be capturing us, so lost in the moment was he.  
  
"Good work with that last one there. This next one... Well it'll be something. Uses a bit more tech than the usual puzzle. Hope you two are ready." Sans goes on ahead, following his brother.  
  
A short bridge over another gap, and a straight path of metal tile stretched before us. Papyrus and Sans were on the other side next to a... rather esoteric looking machine. "Small human, Chara! You will love this next puzzle! It was invented by the great Dr. Alphys! See those tiles? With a flip of the switch, they will change color, and each color has a different function!"  
  
An awkward silence fell over the place for a good few minutes. "Annnd I've forgotten what each one does! Per...haps we should just skip this one. Just to be safe." Papyrus hurried onward, Sans following casually behind. Another X and O puzzle greeted us, though this time with ice involved... and it seemed it had been solved as well.  
  
Sliding across the ice to the other side, we ran into a field of... "Snow poffs!" Frisk exclaims cheerfully. And this is a snow poff as well I suppose... And another... oh hey. This one has 30 gold in it. Surprisingly, nothing ambushed us while Frisk played around with the... snow poffs? What even is a snow poff. They just seemed like large balls of snow but something about them was... confounding. Over all an anti-climax.  
  
By now though I had become thoroughly chilled to the bone and lights were visible ahead. We had to be getting close to Snowdin.  A rather long wood bridge over a sizeable gap was all that stood between me and a warm building now. That and Papyrus on the other side. Oh.  
  
"Humans! This will be your final and most dangerous challenge yet! Behold! The gauntlet of deadly terror!" At his word, and assortment of rather unpleasant looking objects lowered and rose around the bridge. That and the annoying dog, swinging softly from a rope, and looking terribly balefully at me. Frisk just looked forward stone faced. Their default expression really.  
  
"When I say the word, it will fully activate! Cannons will fire! Spikes will swing! Blades will slice! Each part will swing violently up and down! Only the tiniest chance of victory will remain!  Are you ready?! Because I! Am! About! To! Do! It!"  
  
A long and awkward pause, with the soft creaking of the various hanging unpleasantries being the only thing really breaking it before Sans spoke up. "Well? What's the holdup?" Papyrus seemed to be getting rather nervous now. "Holdup? What holdup? I'm... I'm about to activate it now!" Another drawn out pause.  
  
"That, uh, doesn't look very activated bro." Papyrus's nervousness reached a fever pitch, sweating bullets now. "That... that's because...... Aaaaugh! I can't do this! Take it away, take it away!" Papyrus waved at the various devices, and they retracted, the dog giving one last bark before it vanished.  
  
Papyrus gave a heavy sigh of relief once it was gone. "I am a skeleton of standards! This is all too direct! Not at all sporting for my great human rivals! Much too dangerous... what are you looking at? This is another decisive victory for the great Papyrus! May we meet again, my daring rivals! Nyeh heh heh!" With that, Papyrus was off... again.  
  
Crossing the bridge ourselves, I couldn't help but give a sigh of relief myself. A cheery wide sign with the words 'Welcome to Snowdin' decorated in Christmas lights greeted my gaze. Finally. I was feeling pretty dead on my feet. Seeing such a warm and cozy looking little town in the midst of this harsh cold land filled me with determination.  
  
"Feeling pretty bone tired, Sans." That got a small chuckle out of him. "You look it, kid. You ok? You kinda look a little... Chara? Chara!" And like that, the strength drained right out of me. It felt like someone pulled a power plug from me. I could hear both Sans and Frisk shouting in surprise, but it seemed awfully distant.  
  
I really screwed up this time, didn't I mom? Probably pushed myself too hard. Oh hi there Mr. Ground. Coming up to meet me again I se-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa nelly. I think this was my longest chapter yet. Mostly because so much happens on the way to Snowdin. Some of the ripples have started to take form, and not to use a cliche phrase, but the stakes have never been higher. It seems Flowey has a bit better of an idea of what's really going on that anyone else... but what's his angle in all this?
> 
> Over all this chapter was a little bit rough to write compared to the others, but it should get a bit easier beyond this point. My over all enthusiasm and some of those wonderful comments and feedback people have left have been quite helpful in staving off the dreaded writer's block.


	11. Interlude 3: My friend is the best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To sleep, perchance to dream. What dreams may come to thee, knight, as sleep holds to thee?

Snow settled softly in fluffy drifts.  It wasn't often that we visited Snowdin, much less left the capital. Usually only when mom and dad had business in Old Home. Snowdin reminded me of pleasant winter days, back when I was still on the surface.  
  
Sitting on a bench on the outskirts of town, I took in the sights, letting it remind me of some distant but happy memories. Some of the few I had before... But that life was behind me now. I had a far better one ahead of me now... though I wasn't sure I deserved it. I wasn't sure I deserved him.  
  
"Hey! Chara! Think fast!" Thwap, a snow ball slapped me square in the face. Asriel giggled as I wiped the snow away, brightly smiling as he did so. Asriel had saved me in more ways than one. How could I ever repay him? "That wasn't very sporting of you, Az." I'd figure something out eventually.  
  
"Hahahaha. You should have seen the look on your face!"  I smirked innocently as I walked over. No way he'd see it coming. "I got you goo- Waaaah!" Catching him by surprise, I tackled him into a snow pile. "Now what will the great lord Hyperdeath do, his greatest rival has him right where they want him!" I declared with a grin.  
  
Those verdant green eyes of his, a sharp contrast to my carmine, stared back in surprise for a moment before confidence flashed over his face. " The great deity can't be defeated THAT easily, knight! You should know that all to well. Now take this! Star blazing!"  
  
A fist full of powdery snow was tossed my way. I recoiled dramatically for effect with a gasp of surprise. "Devious sorcery! It has only just begun however!" Being a boss monster, some day he'd grown in some horns wouldn't he. I briefly wondered if he'd take after his father. Looking at him now, it was hard to believe that he could grow as large and powerful looking as dad.  
  
Toy wooden swords clacked together, blows traded as we danced around the snowy forest just outside Snowdin, my imaginary knight's blade eventually locking with his 'chaos saber' as his fictitious persona called it.  
  
"Wow. You're really something special, knight... But let's see what your determination does against this!" Oh? A new attack? Not every day Az pulled one of these out.  
  
"I call this move 'hyper goner'!  It'll call forth a real spooky skull and suck everything in like one of those black holes!" Well now. "Not even space and time can stand up to it! Don't get your soul caught in it, or you're done for!" And with that he raised a hand high, as if to call the attack down on me.  
  
I wracked my brain for a way that the knight could survive an attack like that and keep in the fight. I was drawing a blank, in spite of my determination. So I decided with what little power they had, they'd do something else instead.  
  
Dropping the sword, I got down on one knee. "I yield. It pains me to admit that I am not strong enough to best you, but better to live than die clinging to my pride. " Asriel nearly stumbled over in surprise. I bet he didn't see this kind of play coming. I was usually much much more... aggressive.  
  
I wasn't ready to end the knight's story yet though, so I did what I felt I had to to keep them in the game. "Tell me, great sorcerer. What drives you to fight. What fills you with such hope and determination?" He stood thoughtfully, not sure how to respond it seemed. Had he not thought of his character's motivations?  
  
After a moment he walked over, and kneeled down, to be eye level with me. "My desire has been to save my people. A terrible curse befalls my kingdom and... It falls to me to find a way to break it. I'm the protector of monster-kind, my dear rival."  
  
I lowered my head on hearing that. Such an Asriel thing to say. Everyone else's happiness before his own. How could someone like this exist? I knew no one like this on the surface... and everyone else... always so nice... I didn't deserve this. "Ah... I see." I sighed.  
  
Lord Hyperdeath... no, Asriel tilted his head slightly. "For what reaso-" He cut himself off, pausing a moment, before softening his voice, becoming almost tender with his tone. "...for what reason do you fight, knight? Surely there must be some noble cause." A warm paw-like hand on one of my shoulders.  
  
My hands dug into the snow, digging thin trails through it. "I...  I don't have a purpose. A reason to fight. That's why I fight. To find a cause I can be happy to call mine."  Tears threatened to burst forth. I held them back with all my might. Big kids don't cry. You can't let them see your tears. If they do, it hurts worse. That truth was beaten into me and I had the scars to prove it.  
  
"I have no people either... I am alone." Lightly the snow crunched as he stood up, his hand leaving my shoulder. A moment later he extended it down to me. I couldn't help but look up, meeting his eyes.  
  
"Well then... perhaps we can be friends, and work towards a common cause." The smile on his face shone like a brilliant sun. Enraptured by it, I wondered how I ever lived without it. It filled me with warmth... joy... determination.  It gave me a reason to live... To keep fighting.  
  
Reaching out I took his hand, and he helped me up. "A common cause. I can live with that." I couldn't help but shiver some, the cold starting to soak in as he supported me. "So. What happens now, wizard?" With a bright smile he replied "We get somewhere warm. Today's a special day after all."  
  
I looked to him questioningly as we made our way back, the long battle finally over. "It is?" He nodded. "Yep. But it's gotta be a surprise, so I can't tell you quite yet!" He paused a moment. "Oh... I left it back home... well we can get it there later!"  
  
It didn't take terribly long before we were back home. It was definitely a long day so I threw myself on my bed. "So... Chara. Did you figure out why today's special?" I rolled over to look at him. "Nope. Not a clue."  
  
He sighed. "Well. I would think you'd remember the day you first fell down." I was more than a little surprised. "You actually kept track of that?"  He nodded firmly, holding something behind his back. "Yeah. I remembered you telling me that you didn't actually know your real birthday so I figured..."  
  
"A-anyways! Here!" He thrust a wrapped package my way. I took it carefully, looking to him questioningly for a moment, and upon seeing how brightly expectant he was opened it. Inside was... a thing of beauty. A heart shaped locket not much bigger than my thumb, upside down with a pearl white stone embedded in silver, with a fine silver chain. On the back side the words 'best friends forever' where engraved.  
  
"Hey Az... why's it upside down?" He blinked in surprise for a moment before becoming flustered. "I-it's totally not! That's... that's how a monster's soul is supposed to look! I think...?" He nervously twiddled his fingers together. "And you told me once that you don't like humans very much so I got one shaped like a monster's soul instead."  
  
His grin brightened as I twirled the locket between my fingers. "And since you have a monster's soul..." He rustled under his sweater and pulled out a locket of his own, red and upright. "And here's a human soul for me! We match now!"  
  
It took a moment to process, but I couldn't help laughing when it clicked. "Az, you dweeb... that's just... just so like you... " I don't deserve him, I don't deserve him, I don't deserve him... but I was going to do my best to do right by him.  
  
"I'm going to... never let this go." I put the locket on. Asriel, to his credit, managed to last a good 3 seconds longer than usual before being moved to tears. Before I could even reply, he pulled me into a hug.  
  
"Geeze Az... you're crying again. Why you always gotta be such a crybaby?" I was smiling though. He hugged tighter. "I-i'm not crying you jerk! I'm just really happy! I didn't know if you'd like it and...!" I cut him off. "Of course I like it, Az. It means a lot that you care this much." That you even care at all.  
  
Everything started to become softer. More distant. My vision became less distinct. More... surreal? Oh. This was a dream. I must have been waking up then. Shame... it was nice... I'd have to try to remember it. Heh... Asriel... surreal...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got this one out pretty fast. For the most part very fluffy fun stuff. Kids being kids and having a good time. A bit of self-doubt from Chara as well. The actual relevance this has on the story as a whole remains to be seen though. I do hope it proves an enjoyable interlude if nothing else.


	12. Snowdin for a while

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The knight, now down and out, spends a moment recovering. However even while in repose, the knight works tirelessly as the mysteries pile up, and shadows gather at the door. Information is key, and so the knight seeks information as they recover.

The first thing I noticed on waking was how completely drained I still felt. That and a splitting headache which reminded me of how I read a hangover felt like. The second thing I noticed was how much my eyes stung from the light. Shielding my eyes a bit, I found that I was inside... and on a rather fancy sports car shaped bed?  
  
It was pretty rad, with the headboard even being the spoiler. If I'd been a bit younger, I'd probably have considered this bed the coolest thing ever. Not that it wasn't pretty cool. It was, and probably would cost a pretty penny on the surface. Nowadays I'd probably want the car itself instead.  
  
As my eyes adjusted a bit, I got a glimpse at the rest of the unfamiliar room I was in. A table full of super hero and anime action figures, some of them familiar, some of them clearly monster invented. A slightly dated looking computer sat on a table in the corner. A terribly outdated looking flame pattern rug covered a sizeable portion of the floor.  
  
A full book case sat firm against a wall, though most of it's contents seemed to be old car magazines and a game guide or three. A load of books on the royal guard as well. A full on legit pirate flag hung on the wall next to the book case. Not even a replica, but the real deal if the aged and worn appearance was anything to go by... and a box of bones in one corner it would seem.  
  
It took me a moment to realize I wasn't alone either. Sans was sound asleep sitting on a chair next to the bed, Frisk asleep against them as well. Had they... been keeping watch over me this whole time? I moved to get up only to find It quite impossible. I just didn't have the strength to support myself right now.  
  
A disturbing feeling of deja vu crept into me at this situation, as if harkening back to a nightmare that haunted me years ago... before I fell down. At least my throat didn't burn like acid. My movement must have been enough to wake Frisk since they stirred a bit, then rubbed their eyes.  
  
"Hey, kid... Sorry for the scare." I managed to say, with not as much strength as I would have liked. "C-chara... don't go away...!" They threw their small arms around me, pressing their head against my shoulder. "Big sis is my friend. Please don't go..." I ruffled their hair weakly. "No way I'm gonna die yet, Frisk. I'm too damn stubborn. Still too much to do."  
  
"Been meaning to ask you about that y'know. What you're plannin' to do." Ah. Sans was up now as well. Frisk looked up from my shoulder to them, still a bit worried. "Frisk said you were both going to the capital, but was a bit reluctant to go into more detail. Don't suppose you'd like to share?"  
  
I took a few deep breaths, to work up the strength to speak at length. "Well... There's a lot to that. All started when 'scholar' here" I gestured to Frisk, "insisted on leaving the ruins. I was gonna actually just stay there and live with mom but it sounded to me like the kid might have some idea how to break the barrier. They haven't really given me any details, but I figured I should keep them safe at the least."  
  
I took a moment to take a few breaths before continuing. "But that's not the only reason. I... also decided it might be the only way I get a few answers about myself. It feels like the longer I'm down here, the less I feel like I know myself. A lot of questions have been popping up, and the ruins didn't give me much to work off of."  
  
No jokes or japes this time. Sans listened silently and patiently. "That and..." I shuffled around, taking out the locket. "I feel like I should take this back where it belongs. I'm not sure where that is exactly, but my gut tells me I'll know it when I see it." It glinted softly in the room's light. I wasn't sure yet if I should tell them about my dreams about Asriel. I didn't know how anyone would react. I didn't know how I was supposed to react to them yet.  
  
"Wow kid. That's... quite the thing. You two really got a lot on your plate. Don't know if you'll find who that locket belongs to..." Sans winked. "But for answers? I'm sure you'll get what you're looking for on the way to the capital. I can feel it in my bones!" Oh god Sans, I'd laugh if I didn't feel so weak.  
  
"Urgh... that was a bad one, Sans." But I was smiling. It faded a bit after a moment though. "So. How bad is it?" Sans shifted a bit uncomfortably. "You know, kid... not a lot of people get to know this, but before my royal guard schtic...among other side jobs, I used to be quite the scientist. Seen a lot of real crazy stuff. Nothing quite like what's up with you though."  
  
Sans? An egg head? Huh. Shocking given his apparently atrocious work ethic. "The moment you fainted I felt some sort of disturbance in your... 'aura' for lack of a better term. The fact you even have an aura is something in itself. Those are usually only for monsters since it's created by ambient magic radiating from them."  
  
I managed a weak smile. "What if I told you I can use magic?" Sans shrugged. "Normally I'd say you're pulling my funnybone, but then I haven't even gotten to the weirdest part. Your soul. Now, I was freaking out by this point, not something I do often, because you fell into a state very similar to what monsters call 'fallen down'. Ever heard of it?"  
  
I stared at Sans a bit wide eyed. I had definitely read about it from one of mom's old books. "It's a monster illness of some sort. Usually caused by advanced age, or a critical lack of hope as far as anyone can tell. They just collapse into a vegetative state, before eventually turning to dust." My voice cracked a bit at the end there. I was very shaken now. Could I have... died? Frisk held my hand comfortingly with their smaller one, though they weren't much better it seemed.  
  
"Right. And I got a peek at your soul while you where out. You, uhh... might wanna look at it when you get the chance. I'd also recommend not using anymore magic anytime soon unless you have to since I'm worried it might tie into that. Too much we don't understand. Not exactly normal for humans to be using magic either..."  I shook my head a bit.  
  
"Not using magic's gonna be a bit tough, Sans. Did Frisk tell you about the 'demon' I ran into in the ruins? Kinda another reason to reach the capital. Someone's gotta get the word out." Sans froze up, his white dots for pupils winking out, and his tone going from friendly and concerned to deadly serious. "Tell me everything. Don't hold anything back." He... actually looked pretty intimidating now.  
  
Taking a breath, I told him everything I could recall from the fight. It still didn't make a load of sense to me, but Sans must have discerned some greater meaning from it the further I went on, given how his expression shifted. When I finished his hands were clenched so tight the bones creaked.  
  
"...You're sure that's what it said? Without question?" I nodded quietly, my voice tired. This set him on edge even more. "And you didn't get any EXP at all for defeating it? You're absolutely sure?" I looked at him questioningly for a moment before nodding again. Not that I was sure what EXP was.  He seemed a bit more relieved when I answered the second question. Must not have been a good thing to have.  
  
After a moment, his eyes came back. "Looks like I truly can't afford not to care this time after all. You stay here and rest, Chara. I've gotta BONE up on these 'demons'.  If what you said pans out, I think we're gonna have our hands full. I'll make sure some people I trust get you some good food while I'm out. Paps is my best bro, but I don't exactly trust his cooking to help with your health."  
  
I managed a dry chuckle. "Ah, but how can I possibly resist the cooking of the greatest chef of our time." A warm chuckle from Sans. "See ya around, Kid. You get some good rest. We're gonna need it. Hey Frisk. How about you and Papyrus hang out. Someone's gotta keep an eye on my bro." With that, Sans was off. Frisk hung out a bit longer, before leaving as well.  
  
With just myself and my thoughts now, I carefully brought my soul out. Still bright red as ever, but a pale white fracture of sorts spread out from the center, glowing and pulsing softly. I wasn't sure what to make of it. It seemed with each pulse the red part of my soul was slowly overtaking the white cracks.  
  
Was it healing? Getting worse? I couldn't be sure. I figured the white was probably not a good sign since it wasn't there before, so it going away was a good thing, but I still knew jack shit about souls. I returned my soul softly, done dwelling on that thought.  
  
After a good 10 minutes or so, the door to the room burst open, causing my heart to jump. A prodigiously large dog-monster in bulky armor stood at the door, a slightly greasy paper bag in one hand with an unfamiliar label on it. Despite their intimidating size, they were incredibly adorable. Even their armor was adorable, with adorable little dog faces all over it.  
  
They were like the pudgiest fluffiest white dog I'd ever seen. The delta rune lay on their armor so it was a good chance they were with the royal guard. One of the people Sans trusted as well, judging by the bag of food. They walked over, sabatons clanking against the floor, tongue lolled out happily, and hefted the bag my way.  
  
'Grillby's' was scrawled across it in stylish letters with a nice flame motif to it. "Heh... thanks, big guy." I took it, and gestured for them to come closer. They bent down, panting excitedly. I gave them a gentle pat on the head as thanks. They leaned into it, quite happily. After a bit of petting I let up, and they leaned away and gave a... rather squeaky bark that I would expect from a small dog in thanks.  
  
"Yeah. You're welcome to more any time." Another disarming bark from them. "Say... can you do me a favor?" They tilted their head slightly, like you might expect a dog to when they hear something that gets their curiosity. " Can you maybe see if you can get me some books on souls?" They tilted their head a bit further, before giving a cheerful bark and hurrying off.  
  
Interesting friend. I liked them. I wondered if dog monsters were common as royal guard for Snowdin? It did make a bit of sense with the cold weather. My stomach grumbled slightly, drawing my focus back to the warm paper bag in my hands. Opening it gently, I found a nice juicy burger and what seemed to be home made fries.  
  
God, it had been ages since I'd had anything like that. I dug into it with gusto. As much as my current condition would allow at least. It felt good eating real meat, a uncommonality when I was living with Toriel since it was a bit expensive to acquire in the ruins.    
  
It was incredibly good. Meaty, cheesy, and greasy. Everything you'd want from a burger. The fries were nice, crispy, and salty with some sort of mystery seasoning as well, possibly the best of the two. I'd have to get the recipe for those if I could.  
  
At the bottom of the bag was a slightly greasy note among the napkins. I read it as I wiped my hands. 'Heya, kid. Hope you liked Greater Dog. They're a real great person, big ol' bundle of love really. Anyways, figured you might get bored cooped up in that bed so I left you a bunch of my hilarious jokes. Some real bone rattlers here. Hopefully see you soon, kid.' And sure enough, there was a plethora of puns on it of varying quality.  
  
Some of them were real knee slappers, a few were groans, and the majority of them were bone related. A few of them were science related as well. Raised my spirits a good bit, though I was still bed ridden. Would probably be for a few more days.  
  
Feeling a bit more energized from the food, I sat up to a somewhat more comfortable position and finally had a chance to reflect on that dream I had. Asriel... this was another dream involving him. I'd been having more and more dreams involving the young boss monster since I'd fallen down.  
  
A chill ran up my spine as pieces I'd been ignoring fell into place. Toriel. The abandoned bedroom. The pictures. The toys... and the locket. Perhaps my dreams were my mind still trying to work all the pieces together in some strange way.  
  
Looking at the shimmering red pendant, I found myself feeling much more glad that I'd hung onto it. If Asriel was real, it belonged to them... and they deserved to have it back. Perhaps I could find them in the capital?  
  
That assumed of course I could believe the dreams. That lingering uncertainty had me questioning them. The more I thought about it, the more and more it sounded like the kind of crazy talk you'd expect from a person claiming to remember a past life. All the more reason for a healthy dose of skepticism.  
  
Then again... souls existed, so there was that as well. Really, trying to think about it too hard was having my head do screwy things, so I just stopped thinking for a bit. I let myself sink into a daydream about me, Frisk, and Asriel all growing up under Toriel's care. Damn, was I already getting homesick for her again?  
  
My moment of reverie was cut short by the door opening again. Papyrus stood there, proud as ever, yet worried it seemed. Frisk was close by, looking moderately uncomfortable with a rather lackluster looking plate of spaghetti in their hands.  
  
"Chara. Are you quite comfortable? When I heard you had collapsed outside of town it filled me with much worry. " Papyrus sat at the side of the bed, clearly beyond worried. "This is not... my fault is it?  I, the great Papyrus, do not know what I would do if you or the small human were hurt because of me. The least I can do is let you rest in my glorious room however if I have wronged you."  
  
Oh Papyrus... "Hey. Don't worry about it, Papyrus. It's not your fault, alright? So don't go blaming yourself. I'll be up and on my feet in no time." At my words the tension from his shoulders deflated entirely, some of his usual energy flooding back. " It warms my bones to hear that from you, my dear rival! Ah, but you must be famished! Perhaps some of my magnificent spaghetti will do the trick!"  
  
Frisk, who stood a fair bit behind Papyrus still, was now gesturing furiously, a touch of panic washing over them. Despite how frantic they were, I got the message loud and clear. 'Don't eat the spaghetti'. Given that Frisk still seemed in good shape, it was a safe bet it wasn't because it was poisonous. Not wanting to be rude instead I politely declined. "Ah. That's a fantastic offer Papyrus. However I've already eaten."  
  
I presented him with the Grillby's bag as proof in case he didn't believe me. He stared confused a moment before his expression shifted to one of mortification. "Gah! You ate from that.... that... grease bucket?! It hardly holds a candle to my wholesome spaghetti! This must be Sans' doing. When he returns I will have WORDS with him! Multiple of them!"  
  
Completely lost in his rant, Papyrus wandered off, venting harder than an overheated kettle at no one in particular. Frisk stuck close, keeping an eye on me. At least I thought they were, not like I could see their eyes. After a bit I broke the silence. "Hey. Maybe someone should make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble." I managed a small smirk.  
  
Frisk shook their head, then pointed to me. "Someone... needs to take care of you." They managed a small smile. "Heh... right... I forgot. The scholar watches out for the knight..."  I fully slumped back.  
  
Frisk nodded, before reaching over and handing me a few bulky books. I looked to them in surprise before looking back at the books. A few of them were on the physiological differences between humans and monsters, two were on soul properties, and one of them morbidly was on monster burial rites.  
  
"Heh. Living up to your name already I see. How did you know that I wanted these books though?" I looked to Frisk questioningly. They replied with a simple answer. "Good dog." Huh. Funny how things work out. "Oh. Well... I guess I should get into reading then."  
  
Taking the dark green book on properties of the soul, I cracked it open. Most of it was long winded and dry foreword, but one paragraph caught my notice as I skimmed through it. 'Love, hope, compassion... This is what some say monster souls are made of. But the absolute nature of the “soul” is unknown. After all, humans have proven time and again that their souls don’t need these things to exist. '  
  
Oof. Right for the throat, with that one. Could feel the venom from that comment. I felt I had to kinda agree though, given my personal experience with humanity. It continued on however. 'Because of this, monsters are able to feel more deeply than humans, and have far greater difficulty closing ourselves off from our own emotions. However, there are seven distinct traits that are shared in common between monster and human souls.'  
  
'First and foremost is patience, often characterized by light blue. Next we have bravery, characterized by orange. Integrity is distinguished as a dark blue when depicted. Perseverance is shown with the color purple. Kindness for green. Justice for yellow. Lastly we have red, which embodies the attribute said to be most intrinsic to the soul's survival. This is called determination.' Feeling a bit light headed after reading that, I set the book down.  
  
I wondered if my soul being red meant anything with this new information? Was it being red a sign that I had a lot of determination? Having gained a valuable piece of information, I was filled with determination to keep going in any case. Too tired to think, I drifted back into a nap. I felt Frisk pull up my blanket some as I faded into sleep. For once my sleep was dreamless, and I was ok with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnd a huge divergence from the canon plot now. Looks like the party has a lot on their plate as well. And I'm not just talking about Papyrus's spaghetti. Not really much to say here, except that pieces are starting to fall into place. With that said, I do hope this chapter proved to be enjoyable, even with it all being entirely in a single room.


	13. Eyes on me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The knight learns more of the kingdom she desires to save, and finds her heart aflutter, however is this truly where love lies with her, or is it one that shall pass? The knight is still young, and in time will learn the ways of the heart. In the midst of this, the ranger's fears are confirmed, and what he knows is brought into question.

Quietly I set down the book on monster burials in front of me. I had kinda wondered what they did with the dust since dead monsters left that instead of a body. Turns out it was that they gathered it up, and sprinkled it on an object of great significance to them. The idea being that their essence, or something to that effect could continue on in some form through it.  
  
An interesting prospect. I actually rather liked the idea of the practice in a way. I had to wonder a bit if it was one of the things that inspired cremation. There were some similarities, though with humans usually the ashes were brought to a favorite place rather than a favorite object.  
  
Made me wonder... what other things had bled over culturally that we still assumed were human ideas?  What caused such a significant paradigm shift that lead two otherwise happily coexisting societies to go to war? What was the genesis of humanity's desire to wage war on monsters?  
  
There had to be some inciting incident, or some individual with incendiary rhetoric. I couldn't find anything in that regard though. Not here at least. Perhaps in the capital archives. Now well enough to move on my own a little, I rose from the bed.  
  
The cracks of white had eventually settled into a small white ball at the center of my soul, pulsing and glowing softly, almost like a second heart. It seemed so benign and nonthreatening now. Looking at it... for some reason filled me with a flutter of hope. I didn't quite understand why though.  
  
Growing tired of the surroundings that had colored my last few days, I managed to slowly make my way to the door and enter the house proper. The stress from recent events left my fingers aching to do something. Dance across some ivory keys. Playing the piano was always a good release for me. I doubted I'd find one outside of the capital though.  
  
I never really got to play much, but I always enjoyed it. It just felt right. The main room of the house was refreshingly normal. The door opened to a landing with a second one further down along it, presumably Sans's room. A flat screen TV sat on a table flush against the landing wall, a comfy looking green couch across from it. The maroon walls were not exactly my taste, but they worked.  
  
An end table sat near the couch, a rather hefty looking book resting on it. Against one of the walls was a decent sized dining table as well. An open doorway down below led into what I presumed was the kitchen. The sound of cookery clanking meant Papyrus was likely at work concocting something hopefully edible.  
  
The sound of a particularly soulful trombone resonated from the far room. Making my way to the door, I took some time to listen. After a time, I knocked on the door. The trumpeting cut out and a moment later the door cracked open, Sans's eye socket peeking through the crack.  
  
"Uh, hey. S'up Chara. Back on your feet I see. Feeling better?" I nodded softly as he stepped out. I only got a brief glimpse into his room before he shut the door. Not enough to see anything besides a treadmill that seemed pretty unused. "Didn't know you played the trombone. You're pretty great."  
  
Sans shrugged. "What can I say? It's good for blowing off steam. And it's nice to get out and play for people sometimes. I personally prefer a bit of stand-up, but some people really dig the tunes when I'm performing at the MTT resort."  
  
"MTT resort. That's near the Capital isn't it? For someone who seems to revel in being lazy, you really seem to get around." Sans gave a knowing wink. "I know a shortcut or two." I sighed a bit to myself. "Well then why don't you just take me right to the capital so we can sort this out right now."  
  
Sans's smile wavered a bit. "Well... I'd love to but...My shortcuts don't exactly work with humans. Even if they're weird magic casting ones." I took a bit of offense to being called weird, but didn't speak out to correct him. In any case he seemed to be telling the truth.  
  
"Fair enough." I leaned against the wall near his room's door. "Say... what's the deal with the human capturing by the royal guard and you only sending people you trusted to keep an eye on me while you did your sleuthing?" Sans looked around as if to make sure we were alone before he spoke.  
  
"The situation's a bit... complicated at the moment, kid. Y'see... Apparently after a certain incident the king, Asgore, declared that all humans that fall down here are to be captured and have their souls taken. Word is if we have 7 of 'em we can take down the barrier. S'not so bad down here but a lot of us don't even remember what the sun looks like, or real weather even."  
  
Sans closed his eyes, leaning next to me, trombone hanging loosely in one hand. "Me? I'd like to feel the rain on my bones. Real rain, not the kind in Waterfall. I remember Pops talking about it. Barely, but I do. Word is we've already got 6 of the 7. It'd only take one more to achieve freedom." Sans opened one eye, casting a sidelong glance my way.  
  
"You understand what that means for you and Frisk though, I'm sure." I paled slightly as I started to piece together the picture. Me and Frisk, we were big name targets. " Hey, relax. Just laying a bit of knowledge on you so you can do your 'knight' thing for the kid better."  
  
"You're taking a bit of a risk here, looking out for us Sans." I wasn't sure what to make of him now. "I won't lie kid. I've been busting my coccyx to keep you two from popping up on the captain's radar. It's just... I don't think I can buy into what they're selling, y'know? This all seems like too much of a coincidence."  
  
He gestured forward, as if towards some unseen horizon. "Two humans fall down when we only need a single soul left.  Captain Undyne's been on edge more than usual as well.  Starting to think something's not quite right with that decree as well... Then this whole business with demons hunting you. It's a big hot mess, Chara." I felt myself just a touch relieved. He was still on our side it seemed.  
  
"Yeah, turns out you weren't pulling my tibia. That panned out. We've got reports of them appearing in all kinds of places in the underground. Thankfully no one's been hurt badly yet... all we can do is wait for now, though. Strange how intent they seem on killing you specifically." I stared down at my feet. "But... why me?"  
  
I bit my lip, feeling my eyes well up slightly as I slid down into sitting against the wall. "I just wanted to live a quiet life in the ruins with mom. It's been a long time since I was that happy." Sans glanced over to me with a sympathetic look. "Call it a hunch, but it feels to me like someone really doesn't want you to have a good time. I don't exactly like seeing kids have to suffer, so I decided to watch over you two. Call it my big brother instinct."  
  
Sans shifted his head side to side thoughtfully. "Well... there's a bit more to it than that... but that's a conversation for another day." He gestured for me to follow him. "C'mon. I know what'll help lift that spirit of yours. Let's get a bite at Grillby's. Probably sick of being cooped up in this place anyways. I know I would be."  
  
Actually feeling pretty hungry, I tossed my hoodie on and followed after him, with his help when I felt I was about to give out. Snowdin really did strike me as a warm and inviting place, in spite of the cold weather. Grillby's was no exception. It was a nice brick building with a sign out front prominently displaying it's name.  
  
Sans was a bit of a gentleman and held the door for me. A rather surprising assortment of different monsters were enjoying themselves today here it seemed. It felt less cantina and more the sort of place where everyone knows your name... and if you get that reference, clap yourself on the back, you're old.  
  
A few booths lined a wall, and there were a few tables with stools scattered about. The room was lit by what  seemed to be wall mounted hurricane lamps, creating an interesting atmosphere.The bar counter proper sat at the back wall. An ancient looking jukebox sat under a stylized neon sign with the bar's name on it in the corner near the counter.  
  
The hooded dog monster couple which Frisk had distracted with a stick sat at one of the tables, playing poker with greater dog, and Doggo from the looks of it. I ended up learning their names were Dogamy and Dogaressa. I could appreciate this amusing little bit of happenstance that was a bunch of dogs playing poker.  
  
A different particularly fluffy dog monster sat at their own table playing poker with themselves. However that was supposed to work. Judging by their armor, they were probably with the guard as well. An absolutely blasted looking bunny monster was resting their head on one of the booth tables.  
  
Behind the counter itself stood one heck of an imposing figure of a monster. Dressed in particularly impeccable style, the bartender looked to be some manner of fire monster. Like, literally a man made of fire. They cut a really striking form. Safe money was that that was Grillby. There were about half a dozen other monsters there, but by this point I was a bit too hungry to pay much mind.  
  
"Hey, everyone." Sans called out with a slight wave. "Hi, Sans!" everyone called back in their own little way. Must have been part of the routine. The both of us sat down at the bar counter. "Well. Here we are.  What'll your poison be?" Sans grinned. Not that that was different from his usual expression.  
  
I settled into my stool, a rather lovely red feathered bird monster woman picking at some fries next to me. Fries sounded good. I figured I'd get a drink as well. I was old enough to get away with a beer. A familiar loud wet noise rang out as I sat down. Oh god Sans, why.  
  
His eyes lit up a bit, his grin widening at his own little prank. "Whoops. Might wanna watch where you're sitting. Sometimes weirdos put whoopee cushions down on the bar stools. Anyways, let's order. Whaddya want?"  
  
"I think I'll take a large helping of fries, and a beer if that's alright. I'll go with whichever you think I'd like." Grillby nodded to himself slightly."I'll have a burg and a bottle of hot sauce myself Grillbz." A few eyes turned Sans' way in surprise. Even the impassive Grillby raised a fiery eyebrow.  
  
"Grillby's wondering what's up with that, Sans. Not feeling like ketchup today?" The red feathered bird monster said. "Eh. Special occasion, and I feel I need something a bit more stiff." It didn't take long for food to be served. A local beer was placed in front of me with my fries, and Sans had a burger with a bottle of hot sauce next to his.  
  
I took a drink of my beer and he took a swig of his hot sauce, straight from the bottle. He winced a bit before turning to me. "So uh... what do you think of my bro?" My brain froze up for a sec with the myriad ways I could reply to that question. Truth told, the last day or so I'd started crushing on him pretty hard and my feelings about him had become something of a messy emotional gnarl. "He's pretty cool." was what I settled on. Smooth, Chara. Smooth.  
  
Sans eyed his burger as if deciding if he actually did want it or not. "Of course he's cool. You'd be cool too if you wore that outfit every day. He'd only take that thing off if he absolutely had to. " I munched on a couple fries, expertly seasoned. Totally stealing the recipe later. "Huh. That's pretty dedicated."  
  
Sans shrugged, finally biting into his burger and chasing it with more hot sauce. "Well, at least he washes it... and by that I mean he wears it in the shower." He stared thoughtfully at his burger some more before sliding it my way. "Here. You can have mine. Not feeling real hungry today."  
  
"Uh... thanks I guess, Sans?" He waved my thanks away. "Eh, fugeddaboudit Chara. What's a few burgs between friends? Anyways..." He leaned back in his stool some. "Cool or not, you gotta agree my bro really tries hard. Like how he keeps trying to be part of the royal guard."  
  
I couldn't disagree with that. Sans chuckles to himself a bit. "Funny story, that. One day he went to the house of the head of the royal guard. Begged her to let him be in it. Of course, she shut the door on him because it was midnight.   
He leaned over closer to me, his eyes twinkling a bit with mirth. "Here's the kicker. The next day she woke up to find him still waiting there. Seeing how dedicated he was, she decided to give him a shot and train him. That's... uh... still a work in progress."  
  
Holding up a fry, I eyed it curiously, finally remembering a question I was going to ask. "Say... Never really thought about it too much but, how do you guys get the stuff to make this food down here? Stuff like meat and vegetables. How do you GROW that kind of stuff down here?"  
  
Sans's eyes lit up again, a mirthful twinkle to them once more. "Y'know. Not many people actually ask that. Getting started was the tricky part. We had to rely on easy to grow stuff like potatoes for a very long time before. What little we took with us when we got exiled down here. Some forward thinking monsters managed to bring their livestock with them as well. A lot of that ended up going feral and well... the rest is history." Sans shrugged, leaving that in a matter of fact manner.  
  
 "As for how we got our agriculture going as good as it is now? There's a place in Waterfall where a lot of human junk ends up washing down. Every now and then you'll find plant seeds in the mix among other cool stuff. We figured out a way to make lamps that help the plants grow as well using the stuff we salvaged. It was egg heads like us that got things reasonably livable again."  
  
A bit more knowledge about places outside of the Ruins and Snowdin. Good to know. "Most folks just call it the garbage dump of course. Might as well call it like it is. Can't deny that some of our greatest advancements were the result of stuff pulled from there though. Man, it's nice to get to talk to someone about this sort of stuff for once and not be completely losing them."  
  
Sans set the bottle of hot sauce aside before continuing. "The dump's been around as long as anyone can remember. I think it was actually here before we were even sealed, thinking about it..." Wait a minute... "Before we were sealed? But that's like... several thousand years ago. The surface would still have been in the middle ages by then. And you said that there was stuff in there that caused great technological advances?"  
  
Sans gave me a confused look, thinking on what I'd said. "Y'know kid... I never really thought about that. Weird." Weird indeed Sans. Weird indeed. " Yeah. From the sound of it, that stuff's not coming from the surface at all then." Sans stared at the counter, in thought. "Well... if that stuff isn't coming from the surface... then where is it coming from?"  
  
I just shrugged in reply. "Another mystery to the list of things to solve, I guess. Something I'll be happy to help you solve once our current mess is sorted out." By now I was about half-done with my meal. Sans suddenly snapped his fingers. "Ah. There was something I was meaning to ask you..."  
  
A sudden shift in the atmosphere in the place. It felt almost like it was just me and Sans now, in this moment. "So tell me, Chara. You ever heard of a talking flower?" I hesitated a moment. Was he talking about Flowey? "Well... Yeah I suppose." He gave the bottle a light shake before downing some more.  
  
"Yeah. Echo flowers. They're about as common in the Waterfall marshes and such as wild boar are in Snowdin's woods. Everyone knows about 'em. You say something to them, and they'll repeat it over and over if you touch them... " Sans narrowed his eyes.  
  
"But that's not the kind of flower you were talking about, were you. Papyrus once told me about a flower that would speak to him. Would appear when no one else was around.  Whisper stuff to him. Flattery, advice, encouragement... predictions. Thought it was just someone using echo flowers to trick him at first... but now I'm not so sure. You'd tell me if you knew something about that, right?"  
  
How much did Sans really know? Sans finished the rest of his hot sauce. "Well. Not that it matters too much now. A few weeks ago the flower stopped showing. Not too long before those demons of yours started popping up. Said it before, but something's real rotten about all this, so keep your eyes sharp and your ear to the ground." I nodded. "Yeah. That's the plan."  
  
Sans nodded softly at that as I finished the last of my meal. "Good to hear. Oh... and watch out for my little friend Frisk, there. Because if you don't..." Sans's sockets went dark again. A chill ran down my spine. "You're gonna have a bad time." And just like that he was back to normal. "Ah, I'm just messin' with ya. I know you wouldn't let anything happen to the kid if you could help it."  
  
Hopping down from his stool, Sans looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. That feeling of things being just between me and Sans dissipated as abruptly as it came. "Y'know. My breaks almost up... but we got a little bit more time left. How about we have some fun, huh?" I raised an eyebrow. What could Sans be up to now? "Alright, I guess? What you have in mind?"  
  
Sans grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Well... you got a thing called Karaoke on the surface?" Oh god no, Sans. What were you doing. "Well yeah. Why?" Sans winked. "Well then you know what to do. Now pick a good one and have fun." Oh joy. Now everyone was looking at me expectantly.  
  
Taking a breath, I made my way to the jukebox. Best not to disappoint them, I suppose. Perusing the selection I settled on a song after a long moment. Closing my eyes and taking a breath to calm my nerves, I set things in motion. "Whenever I sang my songs on the stage, on my own..."  
  
I relaxed and let the music take me away. "Whenever I said my words, wishing they would be heard... I saw you smiling at me. Was it real or just my fantasy? You'd always be there in the corner of this tiny little bar. My last night here for you. Same old songs, just once more. My last night here with you? Maybe yes, maybe no."  
  
A hush fell over the bar. "I kind of liked it your way. How you shyly placed your eyes on me. Did you ever know that I had mine on you?" It felt good to sing, something I hadn't done in ages. "Darling, so there you are. With that look on your face. As if you're never hurt. As if you're never down. Shall I be the one for you, who pinches you softly but sure? If you frown then I will know that you are no dreamer."  
  
Truth told, I could probably have put down the entire song's lyrics here, but that wouldn't be terribly interesting I imagine. By the time the song had ended it was like I had fallen into a trance, pouring my emotion into my singing. As the last few notes petered off, there was a long silence as everyone stared my way, mouths agape. Well, if they had mouths at least.  
  
I felt a hot flush come over my face from all the attention. I expected any moment some manner of stereotypical uproarious applause or such to suddenly break out, but mercifully it did not. Instead everyone started to intensely discuss the performance with each other.  
  
Sans seemed rather impressed himself. "Well. That was one heck of a passionate performance." He gave me a firm pat on the back as we made our way out of Grillby's and back to his house. "So. Who was it for?" I nearly choked on my tongue right there. "E-excuse me?" That damn knowing smile of his again... "Usually a performance that passionate is meant for someone special. Won't pry if you don't want me too."  
  
"R-right. Let's just get back... I think I wanna lay down..." Sans shrugged. "Whatever you say, Chara. Just a bit of advice. Don't get so wrapped up in obsessing over someone that you get emotionally destroyed if it doesn't work out. You're still young and there'll be plenty of time for things to work out." I nodded quietly, taking in Sans's advice.  
  
Stepping inside to the warmth of the house, I sat down on the couch. Sans just closed the door and wandered off, maybe back to work maybe not. With a moment to myself, I called up mom. Ring ring. "Hello, my child. How goes your journey so far?" It was good hearing her voice. "Well... that's a bit complicated. We've had a bit of a delay. I was actually calling for some advice."  
  
A thoughtful hum came through the phone. "Advice? Well, I am always willing to give you my insight, my child, if you should need it." I cast a glance toward the kitchen, where Papyrus was rummaging through the fridge rather intently. "Well... I might have developed a crush on someone. What do you think I should do about it?"  
  
A soft mirthful laugh from Toriel. "I remember what that was like in my younger days." I sprawled out on the couch as she continued. "I believe that the best course of action would be to make your intent clear when you find the opportunity. If they're really a friend, the worst they can do is say no."  
  
"Alright, well... I'll keep that in mind I guess. Thanks mom. How's things in the Ruins?" I could just make out the soft crackling of the fireplace back home as she more than likely moved into the living room to sit down. "Quiet as ever my child, though I did hear word from a few monsters that you saved their lives."  
  
Huh. Well news did travel fast in the Ruins so I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. "Chara, my beloved daughter... I just want you to know this. No matter what your decision is from here on, I am extremely proud of you." Don't cry... don't cry. You're not a kid anymore, Chara... What strange twist of fortune lead me to deserve someone as kind and patient as her in my life?  
  
"Alright... Hey, do you wanna talk with Frisk? I can see about lending them the phone for a bit while I get some rest. I'm still a little under the weather, but we should be able to hit the road again soon." I really was starting to feel a bit tired... "Oh, that sounds like a wonderful idea. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you my child?"  
  
I smiled a bit to myself as I got up. "Yeah. No problem." Making my way to the kitchen, I found it to be a bit of a disaster area, with smashed tomatoes and other such ingredients all strewn about the place. It seemed Frisk was trying to instruct Papyrus on better prepping pasta... with limited success. "Heya, Frisk. Mom's on the phone. Think you can pull yourself away for a minute?"  
  
The kid wasted no time giving a thumbs up to me and motioning for Papyrus to stay put, said skeleton seeming eager to get back at it. "Alright. Here you go. If you need me I'll be taking a nap. Make sure not to lose that phone, alright?" They gave a determined nod. "Hahaha. Alright. Thanks for being patient with me 'scholar'."  
  
 I ruffled their hair a bit before heading back to bed. I now had a lot to reflect on again, and time to reflect on it. Resolving myself, I decided that tomorrow I would talk with Papyrus about how I felt. I would endeavor to finish my recovery as well. Now was not the time to be mired in pessimism... and besides, I was too damn determined to be pessimistic right now. For now though, I was too tired to think anymore today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took faaaar longer for me to write than I would have liked. Between it being longer than I anticipated, life events popping up, Halloween, and the election i've been busy busy. Take this as a pretty clear sign I'm not dead though and intend to see this story through.


	14. Bonetrousle Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What makes a home? What makes a person? What makes a heart? Valuable lessons must be learned, and the time for rest is finally at it's end. In the mists, two warriors find conflict. One bound by a desire to protect, another by their sense of duty. Generally speaking, shit's about to get real.

   Finally well enough to move freely on my own, I found myself in a curious position. Frisk had somehow roped me into helping Papyrus with cooking lessons. According to Papyrus, he was already getting private cooking lessons from Captain Undyne, but Frisk had managed to convince him that it couldn't hurt to have additional classes. So he could 'wow Undyne with how far he'd come' as Frisk put it.  
  
Appealing to Papyrus's ambition had clearly been a good move, because his enthusiasm had never been higher. Unfortunately, it also meant he was blasting through ingredients at a record speed... and that meant someone needed to go get more. Sans was a no-go for that since he was god knows where right now, doing god knows what. That left the duty to fall to me.  
  
This gave me a wonderful chance to really look around Snowdin, so I was all for it. Really a rather small place once you got to really look at it. About 5 or 6 houses, counting the bone brothers, a library (with the sign inexplicably spelled librarby instead), A station with a conveyor and a wolf monster constantly chucking blocks of ice brought up from it into the river, a dock which seemed rather disused, Grillby's, a quaint but cozy looking inn, and the general store which was my destination.  
  
I unfortunately found myself completely entranced and confounded by a rabbit-woman walking a smaller rabbit on a leash. Pet? Kin? I couldn't be sure. That quickly became not my priority though as I nearly tripped over a monster about Frisk's size. Stumbling briefly, I quickly righted myself and caught them to keep them from falling themselves.  
  
"Yo! You got like, crazy fast reflexes there! Thanks for catching me." They were pretty unassuming in appearance all considered.  A yellow, reptilian monster with no arms, a tail, and spikes on the back of their head. A yellow and brown striped poncho of rather distinct make that they were wearing caught my eye though. It reminded me a bit of the garbs said to be worn by a tribe that supposedly lived near the mountain.  
  
"No problem, kid. It's my fault for not watching where I was walking anyways." A big wide grin graced his face. Damn this monster kid was infectiously cheerful. "Dude, you're totally Frisk's friend aren't you." I blinked in surprise. "Wait, you two know each other? When'd that happen?"    
  
They trundled along after me as we talked. How did they get by without arms? Then again, if I grew up without arms I'm sure I would have figured out some way to manage. Human or monster, people can be very adaptive to adversity. "Yeah dude... Er... I mean dudette? Met them a few days ago and we really hit it off. Real bummer about you getting super sick, there. Seems you're all better now though."  
  
I shrugged. "Pretty much over it now. Not like I'd want to stay in bed all day for the rest of my life." The young monster gave a small hum to themselves, nodding slightly. "Yeah. I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't able to get out and play." He tilted his head. "Hey. You got a striped shirt too. Does that mean you're also a kid?"  
  
Oh. Right. I still had that on, didn't I. "Not quite anymore. I just never got around to changing it for something non-striped." A bit of a half-truth. I hadn't actually put much thought into my attire. There was... much more pressing matters at the time. Well, another thing to pick up on this trip then.  
  
I carefully weighed my feelings on Papyrus as well at this moment. The monster kid was saying something but it only came through as a distant din as I walked. Was my feelings for the taller skeleton more than just a passing fancy? A crush brought on by the uncontrolled hormones of coming of age?  
  
That would definitely take some time to think over and sort out. Then there was the matter of me being a human... but that was far more easily resolved in my head. If I was going to make myself a lifetime partner to someone it was for sure going to be a monster. My experiences with humans, Frisk aside, left something to be desired to put it lightly.  
  
The fact Frisk likely had similar experiences with humanity, given that they had decided to join me down here, only reinforced that for me. Which isn't to say I hadn't known some decent people... but to paraphrase a phrase a bit, "if you wish in one hand and shit in the other, which would fill up first?"  
  
I couldn't help but grimace a bit at that thought. That negative mindset didn't have a place in my life anymore. I had a future now. I had hope. Me and the kid just needed to make it to the capital and convince the king to let us stay here. Mom was worried about him, but from everything I'd heard he was a kind and reasonable man. I'd just need to convince him to let us stay while I helped work out a way to break the barrier.  
  
That was the plan anyways. On top of not getting killed by my hopefully future employers,  and whatever those demons were. If we were gonna survive till then we needed to be prepared though. As it went, our current supplies were not gonna cut it, and my tote bag wasn't gonna hold up for carrying what we'd need. Not with how beat up it was from the last few years.  
  
"Yo. I just noticed you got the Delta Rune on your coat. Are you in the royal guard or something?" His eyes sparkled hopefully. "Well, not quite yet I'm not. Some day soon though I hope." He became a bit disappointed. "Aw man. So you don't actually know Ms. Undyne then. She's like... the coolest! I wanna meet her some day!"  
  
Ho boy. I knew a bad case of hero worship when I saw it, and he had it for Undyne BAD. " Tell you what. When I make royal guard I'll personally introduce you to her." Provided she didn't wind up sticking my head on a pike first and handing my soul to the king of course. Still a bit mixed with my feelings about that.  
  
I had managed to piece together a bit of why the king made that decree on humanity. Losing a kid really messes with your emotions as a parent. It seemed to have given the residents of the underground a degree of hope as well. The idea that one day that barrier could actually be taken down.  
  
The knee jerk reaction, being a human would of course normally be to be terrified, indignant, or something of the sort I'm sure, but I could see the other side of things. This wasn't exactly a black and white issue. A hefty load of grey with a lot of ancient bad blood. Perhaps I was a fool, but I had a feeling that I could be the one to do something about that. Moreso, Frisk could. The scholar seemed to be a natural at the whole peacemaker deal.  
  
My train of thought was derailed by the kid making a particularly excited squealing. "Wow! You'll really do that for me?!" An encouraging thumbs up. Hope and enthusiasm like that... I wasn't going to let that down. "Sure. You're down with Frisk, so that makes you alright in my book."  
  
A bit after that they shuffled nervously and looked to make sure no one else was listening before whispering in a slightly awed tone. "Yo... I was wondering but... are you a human?" My heart jumped right up into my throat at that. "Where did you..." Had Frisk somehow let that slip to them? Did they trust the kid that much? "What if I am? Will you be afraid of me?"  
  
I watched his reaction carefully. If he decided to turn me in there wasn't much I could do about it. I wasn't going to be a child murderer. The very thought of pulling my knife on him filled my throat with stinging bile. They took a bit of a gulp, seeming about as nervous on the outside as I felt inside. "No. You're like... not a bad person. Besides, those demons are scarier. Are you... gonna fight them? Frisk said you were gonna."  
  
I cracked a warm smile to him. "The underground's my home too, kid. Heck yeah I'm gonna kick their butts." And possibly get the bejesus smacked out of me in return, but I let that go unspoken. "Haha! Alright! You really are cool, like Frisk said!"  
  
"I try... but now I'm gonna have to do something super uncool." I gave him a sympathetic smile. "You should probably go home. It's not exactly safe to stick around outside right now, and I don't want to worry about you getting caught in the crossfire if a demon decides to attack." Oof... the look of disappointment on his face tugged at my heart a bit.  
  
"Aw man... but I wanna see you fight 'em!" I gave a soft sigh, shaking my head. "Kid... this isn't like some game. They won't go easy on you because you're a child like in the story books. They are vicious and brutal, and they will have no qualms with trying to dust you or me. I'm not going to let a child die on my account." I was determined not to let that happen.  
  
"...Alright, dudette. Don't you forget about what you promised though!" And with that he was off. In time for me to stop outside the local shop. Pushing the door open, I was greeted by a small bell jingling the first few bars of a tune that I couldn't place but...  I knew I'd heard it somewhere before. I was also greeted by the warmth of being indoors. Which was nice.  
  
A rather pleasant looking bunny-woman was managing the counter, a couple of what I presumed were her children playing around the store. "Hello, traveler. How can I help you?"  I nodded slightly. "Yeah. I need to pick up a few things. Some of it's for a friend, some of it's for the journey ahead."  
  
She gave a thoughtful hum, slightly adjusting her straw sun hat. "I can't say I remember the last time I saw a fresh face around here. Where you from, stranger?" I looked over a scroll hanging from a corner of the shop near the counter bearing the Delta Rune. Royal guard recruitment poster of sorts.  "The Ruins, why?" She seemed more than a little shocked.  
  
"Folks still live there? Well I'll be..." I started picking out the ingredients I was asked to get, eyeing a tomato to make sure it wasn't blighted in any way. "Yeah. Not so many as in it's heyday though." I wasn't gonna take a perfect one and have it go to waste in training.  
  
"Right... when it used to be called just home. Now they call it Verlorenheim." She hummed a bit to herself, as the kids ran out the door to play outside in the snow. "Between that and the current capital, New Home, makes you wonder how long it is we gotta keep on running..." I just shrugged in response. "I guess. I would liked to have seen the surface capital, Unserheim, in it's prime myself."  
  
Noticing some rather thick and tough looking gloves, I grabbed a pair for myself and Frisk. It'd help guard against the cold. "So." I started as I tried them on. A bit tight and stiff. They'd need breaking in. "How's life treating you down here?" The shop keeper did a 'what can you do?' type shrug. "Life is the same as usual. A little claustrophobic... But...we all know deep down that freedom is coming, don't we?"  
  
I gave a non-committal hum as I picked up a sewing kit. "As long as we got that hope, we can grit our teeth and face the same struggles, day after day... That's life, ain't it?" I nodded, taking a roll of cloth and some thick fur to line the sleeves and hood of my jacket with, placing my purchases on the counter. "I suppose it is." I picked out a couple warm bunny shaped cinnamon rolls as well. Some food for the road.  
  
As she tallied up the cost my eyes were drawn to a rainbow pattern scarf. It seemed rather weather worn but... "That caught your eye?" She held it up, her words snapping me out of my reverie. "Where did you get it?" I asked on impulse. She gently placed it on the counter.  
  
Gently she laid it out in full. " Well Y'see...  my grand pappy was out hunting one day. Found it hanging from a tree branch. Looked like it'd been there a little while and didn't feel quite right leaving it there in the middle of the woods so he took it back with him. Felt like there was something to it and there's no way the owner would find it anyways if he left it there. Been in the family ever since."  
  
Her eyes bored into me a bit as she became thoughtful. "Tell you what. I'll throw it in for free. Been in the family long enough, and I get the feeling you'll get it to the right place. Besides, it's cold out there and you aren't one of us furred folk, so you'll need the extra warmth." I blinked in surprise at her. "Umm... thanks I suppose?"  
  
Handing her the money for my goods, more than half what I had left, I gathered the stuff up and got ready to set out. "Bye now! Be sure to come visit us again!" she called out cheerily after me. "I'll be sure to!" I called back, before stepping into the cold a bit warmer than before.  
  
The trip back was uneventful and ingredients were delivered. I handed Frisk the stuff I got for them as well. They nodded softly, taking the goods gently. "Thanks..." they barely even whispered.  
  
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Papyrus on a phone. He seemed worried. Well as worried as a skeleton can be, and flinched every now and then, casting glances my way. Either something was going bad on Sans's end or Undyne was giving him hell. Whichever case clearly my time in Snowdin was almost up.  
  
Given I had to carry at least half the stuff in my arms back, now was time for an upgrade to my bag, so the rest of the afternoon was spent sewing a rucksack together from the cloth and the tote bag, with some limited success. The result was a bag that was at least able to carry more without getting in my way as much. The fur lining for the hood was understandably less simple to manage, but I managed to get by with that as well by the time dinner rolled around.  
  
Unlike the last few times, there was a very tense atmosphere hanging about the room. Even Sans wasn't as witty and wisecracking as usual. On the bright side, Frisk had at least managed to help Papyrus cook something which could be called edible.  
  
The night went and day came. I got up early, waking Frisk so we could get going. Checking to see if the skeleton brothers were home so we could say our goodbyes, and I could finally get my thoughts off my chest, I found that neither of them were.  
  
This wasn't exactly ideal, but it was time to go and I at least had Sans's number so I could call them if I needed to. It was a quiet morning. No one in particular was out and about yet besides me and Frisk. Almost eerie how empty the town seemed.  
  
As we worked our way to the edge of town towards Waterfall a fog started to set in. It became hard to see even a foot in front of me. Eventually I was able to make out a tall silhouette. Papyrus? "Human... Chara..."  
  
I gulped slightly. " Allow me to tell you about some complex feelings... Feelings like... the joy of finding another pasta lover. The admiration of another's puzzle-solving skills. The desire to have a cool, smart person think you are cool... " My heart caught in my throat. Was he... confessing?  
  
"Papyrus..." He held up a hand to silence me, before continuing. "These feelings... They must be what you are feeling right now. They must be, because I feel them as well. You've made me realize something, humans. We are all three of us very lonely." Papyrus stepped closer, a bit more visible in the mists which had started to clear.  
  
"Worry not. You shall be lonely no longer! I, the great Papyrus will be your...  No... No, this is all wrong." One of his gloved hands claws at his skull in frustration. My heart dropped like a stone. "I can't be your friend! You are humans! My duty is to capture you!  Then I can finally fulfill my lifelong dream! All I have to do is subdue you for Undyne and..." Despite his declaration, Papyrus seemed terribly conflicted.  
  
Hearing him say the word friend rather than... something else. It should have stung more... but it kinda took a weight off my shoulders. It probably would have sucked more if not for the fact that I was now pulled into a battle with Papyrus... I'd get my thoughts sorted out after this.  
  
I hesitated, my breath held, as he made his first move... slow moving high and low bone shaped projectiles that were easy enough to duck and jump over. I refused to fight back. Maybe we didn't share any feelings for each other but he was still my friend, even if he was being stubborn about that. The last few days spoke stronger than his words.  
  
"So you won't fight... Then, let's see if you can handle my fabled 'blue attack'!" Blue. Blue stop sign. Right, Sans warned me about this one. I held stock still as he launched a wave of pale blue bones at me, and in spite of them hitting me, I was left unscathed...  
  
But it turned out it wasn't that simple. Suddenly my normally red soul turned a dark blue and I was yanked down by it into the snow as it suddenly felt like it weighed as much as two bowling balls. Gritting my teeth, I managed to get back to standing with some serious effort. "You're blue now! That's my attack! Nyeh heh heh heh heh!" I was gonna kill Sans next time I saw him.  
  
It took all my strength to manage to dive out of the way of his otherwise simple attacks now. I was too busy trying to keep alive to really pay mind to what he was now rambling about. Something about the king trimming a hedge in the shape of his smile? Said smile started to waver.  
  
"I'll have lots of admirers but... Will anyone like me as sincerely as you? Someone like you is really rare... " I gritted my teeth as a bone slammed into me. Where the heck did Frisk go in the midst of all this? " Papyrus! You don't have to do this." He let up on his offensive somewhat.  
  
I took the chance to stuff a cinnamon bunny into my mouth. Still warm thanks to the magic in it, and I could feel my injuries sorting themselves out a bit. "Chara, please just give up." He bit out, not as much his usual carefree self. "Please give up, or I'll have to use my special attack."  
  
By this point the battle had ground to a halt. "I can't do that, Papyrus. There's too much riding on this for me to give up." Frisk had appeared back on the scene, sticking behind me now. " Very soon I'll use it, Chara...!" Papyrus held a hand high. A good 30 seconds passed. " Not too long and I'll use that special attack!"  
  
I grimaced against the cold and stood my ground. " This is your last chance, humans...!" I extended my hand to Papyrus. "Papyrus! You don't have to prove anything to anyone here. You're our friend! We believe in you! So please...!" Papyrus's raised hand shook and he squeezed his eyes closed before letting his hand drop. The dense effect of his 'blue attack' faded, my soul returning to it's usual red color.  
  
"I... I can't do it. I can't hurt you... Undyne will be so disappointed in me... and I'll never get to join the royal guard." I could say something... but actions speak louder than words. I pulled that big dumb skeleton into a hug. "Papyrus... We're friends. Just keep that chin up. We'll find a way to work stuff out." Frisk went ahead hugging one of his legs as well.  
  
"Really...? You want to be friends with me? Well then... I... I guess I can make an allowance for you! " Papyrus cheered proudly. "Who knew that all I needed to make some friends was to give people awful puzzles and fight them!" Oh Papyrus. The more things change...  
  
"As your friend, I hereby grant you permission to continue forward! Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be at home being a cool friend! Good luck, dear friends! Oh, and here's my number. Call me ANY time!" With that, Papyrus was off again, having handed me  a slip of paper with his number on it, pasta sauce stained of course.  
  
Having pocketed it, Frisk and I went forth. The snowy forest giving way to dark blueish stoned cave with the river from Snowdin rushing by, large chunks of ice floating in it. Small glowing crystals dotted the walls as we walked past and the chill started to die down some, though not enough that the scarf and coat were uncomfortable.  
  
I had a feeling that from this point on all bets were off. We had it easy up until now, but beyond this point we would have to deal with the likes of the royal guard and no doubt demons. The fact that I hadn't encountered one since the Ruins was cause for concern.  
  
Having a chance to finally think and reflect on what happened, the emotional payload finally hit me, and a bitter melancholy settled onto my soul. Did falling out of love always hurt this bad? Even when the relationship didn't really go anywhere? My realization that Papyrus could never feel the way I had about him for a time must have been obvious on my face, because Frisk had keyed into it. "U-um... Ms. knight... are you gonna be ok?" Frisk gently held one of my coat sleeves.  
  
Kid... I steeled myself. Wake up, Chara. It was silly and stupid thinking you could get with Papyrus anyways. Biting down those bitter feelings, I resolved myself with the fact that it was just a passing fancy. I'd know for sure when I saw someone I really had feeling for instead. "Yeah, scholar... I'm gonna be alright. We're both gonna be alright..." It hurt, even if it had been a silly and stupid hormone driven crush with someone I shared so little in common with,  but I'd survive.  
  
I exchanged a glance with Frisk. It seemed they knew we were going to be in for a rough time as well. Still... I was about as ready as I ever was going to be. The sting of falling out of love still nipped at my heart a bit, but the knowledge of what I was trying to accomplish... it filled me with the determination to move on.  
  
Catching glimpses of something small and yellow trailing behind us out of the corner of my eye did not set my mind at ease though. I'd catch just the barest of  a glimpse of them burrowing into the ground to hide if I looked quick enough. That little snake of a flower was following us! Next corner, I was gonna try to catch them and get them talking... they knew way more than they let on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MsYakumo: As it happens, I am not in fact dead. I got blindsided by a combination of needing to drop everything to handle the holidays and a rather persistent writer's block. I hope this chapter will prove enjoyable for you as something of a post-holiday surprise.


	15. Ebb and Flow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two noble knights of different ideologies. Star crossed heroes who clash for what they believe is best for the kingdom. However the dark ones will not be denied, and with them they bring suffering. The time has come.

The caverns of Waterfall certainly had a beauty to them. A comforting feel, with the soft echo of the water flowing and reflections from it dancing across the walls. I'd have reflected on it more, if not for the fact that I had a flower to grill.  
  
Another royal guard outpost sat in an alcove to the side of the path. Pretty deserted at the moment. I glanced to see if Flowey was watching. Not yet. Seeing that, I motioned for Frisk to duck behind it.  
  
One minute... two minutes... "You know Flowey. There's a phrase from the surface. 'shit or get off the pot'." The little yellow bastard popped up, grinning innocently as can be. "Well now, I can't say i've ever heard THAT one before. You got a pretty sharp tongue, Chara."  
  
I frowned at him. "And you're just an ass, you ferocious rhododendron." Shifting myself, I kept my hand near my knife. "I didn't call you out to have a sass-off though. I need answers. Answers I get the feeling you have."  
  
Flowey gave an unsettling chuckle. "Alright. I'll play that game. Ask me questions three, and I'll answer them as truthfully as I know. Trust my word, or don't. That's on you." He bounced a bit. "Gods it's been a looooong time since something changed down here. I almost feel excited! Almost."  
  
With nothing better to do, I decided to play along. " Right then... question one. What are those demons really?" That terrible grin spread across Flowey's 'face', looking terribly terrifying as usual. "Hohoho. Asking the real questions are we? They are big bundles of negative emotions with a sick and tormented will guiding them, and boy howdy do they want to see you spill your guts."  
  
He twisted unpleasantly. "So they're not that dissimilar from me in a way I suppose. One of the big differences is that they aren't from around these parts, unlike me. I'm 100% home grown. Normally they just stew in silence in the void until someone is vicious enough to awaken them."  
  
Flowey stopped with his terrible contortions, returning to his normal position. "They really like the merciless ones. The ones with lots of EXP and dust on their hands. Give those ones more power... for a price of course. Not normal for them to be this... direct though. Then again, nothing about this is normal. The world's broken broken broken~!"  
  
Flowey gave a faux sad expression. " But they want to 'fix' it! I don't know why they'd want to do that. I know I don't want it fixed and you certainly don't. Not before i've at least had my fun. It's been much too interesting to 'fix'. That's why I want to help you. Because all they need to do to 'fix' this new and interesting different world is to KILL you."  
  
"Kill me, huh? Well they're gonna have to try a hell of a lot harder then that if they want to kill me." I wasn't about to take his word for it, but this was probably the best I could do for information from him, so I continued. " What about those glittering golden star-like things. What are those?" Flowey cackled. "You mean SAVE points? Hahahaha! You've used them so much and have no idea what they are or what it means? Frisk didn't even tell you? This is rich!"  
  
A ferocious grin from Flowey had me reach for my knife again. "I'll tell you EXACTLY what it means. The power to reshape the world... Purely by your own determination. The ability to play God! The ability to 'SAVE.'" Flowey bent forward, a maddened chuckle ripping out from in him. "With that power you can never truly die. The person with the most determination inherits it. They inherit the world."  
  
Flowy let loose another round of laughter most demented. " Once upon a time...  I thought I was the only one with that power. But... then Frisk fell. I lost the ability to SAVE. It seems you're even more determined than they are though, so it's become yours. A shame about that. Now that THEY are here, that power won't protect you. No more take backs. No more rewinding time to defy death. If you die, you're gone... and it'll be like nothing's ever changed."  
  
Another faux sad face. "We might all even forget about this 'fun' little adventure we've had together up till now. Well, except for you. You'll be dead and gone. But Frisk, and I, and everyone else will forget all about you. That'd be a terrible fate to meet."  
  
I scowled deeply. Why should I believe a word of his? Yet... in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling he wasn't exactly lying. " Right... Last question then, huh? What the hell are you, if not a monster or demon?" Flowey gave a wicked snarl of a grin, eyes like black pits with small white pin points in them. "You don't know? Why, your best friend of course, Ehehehehe~!" And with that he was gone.  
  
"Well. That wasn't freaky as hell... and i'm not sure I quite understand what he was getting at, even if he was telling the truth..." Damn... just more questions, and not many answers. The answers I was getting I didn't like very much either. Walking over, I knocked on the counter of the guard post. Frisk popped up from behind it, seeming a bit shaken. "You alright, Frisk?"  
  
After a soft gulp and a moment's breather they nodded. I hesitated a moment before speaking. Very careful with my tone. "Is what he said about SAVEs and such true?" Frisk couldn't quite meet my eyes. What was Frisk to tell me?  
  
"...Alright. We can talk about it when you're ready to. Let's get moving." Pressing on deeper, I kept my knife close. Waterfall didn't take long to earn it's name with the sound of rushing water. The first of what was bound to be many falls coming into view.  
  
Carefully walking across the bridge leading over the flow, I couldn't help but let my eyes be drawn to where the falls dropped off into the black abyss. There were even deeper caverns that the monsters dared not delve into it seemed. A morbid curiosity came over me. How deep was the fall?  
  
Had I arrived at this place some years ago, when I first fell, I might have actually contemplated jumping. I likely wouldn't have, like now, but the temptation would have been there. I looked away and kept walking instead. That was the past, I had responsibilities I couldn't run away from now. A reason to keep going.  
  
"Say Frisk... do you believe in fate?" They looked to me questioningly, not quite sure of how to respond to my question for a moment. "Fate...?"  I hummed softly to myself a bit. "Yeah. That everything's all planned out and we have no agency over the outcome for better or worse." Frisk stared down at the ground a bit. "Oh... I... guess so? Do you?"  
  
I shook my head before looking up at the far above ceiling of the caverns. "To quote a brilliant playwrite, ' It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves'. Consider that something of a personal motto for myself. I feel that people who believe in fate are just doing it to shirk responsibility and accountability... and no one is above consequences."  
  
Frisk flinched a bit at those words. Had I said something that hit a bit too close to home there? I suppose it was a little harsh since they had said they kinda believed it themselves, but then I wasn't much for mincing words. It seemed that extended to even Frisk... which I felt pretty crappy about, really.  
  
Feeling bad would have to wait however, the sounds of heavy metal sabatons clanking through the caverns drawing my attention. Either Undyne or another royal guard if I had to guess. Not ready for any sort of confrontation with them yet, I pulled myself and Frisk into a large patch of tall dark blue-green grasses. Just barely enough to conceal us if we stayed still.  
  
Clank clank clank. The sound approached from somewhere just above us before pausing uncomfortably close. The sound of a second set of foot steps approached. I held Frisk close by, my breath more frozen in my chest than Snowdin air.  
  
"...H...Hi, Undyne. I'm here for my daily report." Papyrus... There was a moment before an unfamiliar voice spoke, commanding, imposing, and slightly muffled. "...Speak." Who the hell was this woman, Undyne? " O-oh... Well.. about those humans I reported to you about..."  
  
"Did you fight them...?" Undyne replied, her tone careful and measured, hiding the faintest level of annoyance. "W-what? Y-yes! Of course I did! I fought them valiantly!" I could practically hear Papyrus's bones rattleing. "Valiantly... then did you capture them?"  
  
If Papyrus could breath, I imagine he would have stopped being able to right there. "C-captured them? Well... no. I tried very hard Undyne, but in the end... I failed." Papyrus... "You disappoint me, Papyrus... but I suppose I shouldn't expect much from you. You need not try any further, I am going to claim their souls myself."  
  
"W-wait... claim their souls...?! But Undyne..! You don't have to destroy them! You see... You see..." I swore, if she did anything to that dumb loveable bone head, i'd... "Just what DO I see, Papyrus? Please... tell me." A long silence punctuated by Frisk's soft breathing filled the air.  
  
"... As I thought. Our kingdom is besieged by these... 'things' people have started to call demons. Not even days after those humans arrived. What if they summoned them here? Did you think of that? Papyrus... we only need one more soul and everyone can go free." Frustration edged her tone dangerously.  
  
"Whether you meant to or not, you've spoken out against king Asgore's decree. This is a serious matter and I cannot afford any more bafoonery. Return to your home and do not contact me unless you can think of anything which will be of help. Once this is over we will reconsider your future in the royal guard."  
  
"I... I see... So that's it then... I'll... I'll help you in any way I can..." Papyrus trudged away, sounding completely defeated. It stung hearing that, I couldn't imagine how he felt now. I hadn't heard Undyne leave yet though so I still held Frisk close... And a sudden rustle in the grass turned my blood to ice.  
  
Not even a second later I heard Undyne rapidly nearing, the air abuzz with magic and a faint blue glow cutting through the grass along with a single intense yellow point of light. Was our journey about to end right here? Minutes passed... then slowly the glow faded and the sound of retreating sabatons met my ears until finally the caverns were silent once more.  
  
I released my death grip on Frisk and pushed out of the tall grass, taking several deep slow breaths. It was at this point I realized we were not alone. "Yo... did you see the way she was staring at you...?" That monster kid from Snowdin? Wait...  
  
"That... was totally AWSOME! I'm SOOOO Jealous! What'd you do to get her attention...? Haha, c'mon! Let's go watch her beat up some bad guys!" He hopped up and down, very much hyped up and ready to run off ahead. I'd narrowly grazed death by Undyne because of him...?  
  
I stood there completely stupefied for a moment before finally finding my voice. "Kid... what the heck are you doing here...?"  He tossed a cheery grin at us, as if nothing was wrong. "why, I followed you of course! Couldn't miss a chance to see Undyne!" The fact that Frisk was so... neutral about this whole ordeal was getting to me as well. They didn't seem even slightly bothered by any of this.  
  
"But... it's really dangerous..." I replied, admittedly pretty limply. "Ain't a problem. Mr. Sans said if I ran into any danger you'd protect me!" God damn it, Sans... What were you trying to pull this time? Well, guess my hands were tied then. "Alright... if Sans says it's ok I guess I can't say no. Even if he is a lazy trashbag of a man."  
  
Seeing one of those glowing yellow star-like points for the first time since leaving the ruins, I reached out and touched it. It felt good to have something safe and familiar from my old routine. Even though a sense of dread hung in the air, I stayed determined.  
  
The other two hurried on ahead, with me following behind at a casual pace. We eventually arrived to a large area criss cross with water ways. A small pile of what looked to be unusually large slightly shriviled lotus blossoms was set to one side. "Yo, either of you ever used bridge seeds before?"  
  
I considered them curiously. "No. Can't say I have." He hummed softly to himself. "It's real simple. You just take 'em like this." He bit down on one, produceing a slight squeak noise, and carried it over to the water side. "Ann puthh 'em don lik ditth." And he dropped it in the water, nudging it across with his head. "Just gotta line four of them across and they'll all bloom and let us walk right over 'em. Cool, huh?"  
  
That... actually was kinda neat. "Huh. Well I guess let's give it a go then." Frisk and I worked together gathering some more and drifting them across, until the four lined up. Once the last one was in place, they did in fact bloom before our eyes. I was a little uncertain they'd be able to sustain our weight but the kid rushed across along with Frisk just fine. A few tentative steps and I made it across as well.  
  
"Haha! You guys got the hang of this! Wonder if you will even need my help?" The rest of the area passed with relative ease as we set bridge seeds up together. Stopping just short of a doorway out of the area,a noise caught my attention. Ring... ring... Someone was calling me?  
  
"You there, kid?" Sans. He sounded a bit rattled though. "Hey, Sans. Didn't expect to hear from you." He perked up a bit at that. "Yeah. Figured i'd check in on you guys a bit. How's the kids?" I smiled a bit to myself as I watched Frisk and the monster kid playing.  
  
"Doing pretty good. They're having a pretty fun time all considered." The kid tripped and Frisk helped him back up. "Yeah. That's good. Wouldn't want them... bored to the bone!" I couldn't help but groan a bit at that. "God, Sans. Do you ever get tired of puns?" He chuckled a bit. "Nope! Making people laugh never gets old. It's one thing I know I'm good at."  
  
I couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Well, I guess I can get behind that." A thoughtful hum from Sans before he got a bit more serious. " Chara... be careful out there. Undyne knows about you now and... there's been a change in the behavior of the demons. " I felt a frown touch my face unbidden. "A change in their behavior?"  
  
"Yeah. Up until about an hour ago, they'd just sorta been hanging around being all creepy and muttering about killing you. Only really attacking anyone that got too close. Well, all of a sudden they all just started laughing and not in the 'your joke's funny' sort of way. A few of 'em even went out of their way to attack some of the royal guards assigned to watch them." A sense of dread  rested in the pit of my stomach like a stone.  
  
"Is... anyone...?" Sans was quick to reassure me of my worries. "Nah. No one's dead yet. Quick thinking and acting on our part. We got a lot of injured though. Worry more about yourself... because all those demons are on the move now, and if the reports are right, they're headed for Waterfall."  I nodded slightly, watching the two playing.  
  
"So. What are you gonna do now?" Sans was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "I'm gonna meet up with you guys at the piano room. It's not that far. Keep everyone safe until then, will you? And that includes you. I don't like to make promises, but can you promise me you'll do that?"  
  
I gave a weak smile. "Don't much like making promises myself, but someone who likes bad jokes as sincerely as you? Hard to say no to. Alright. I promise." It seemed the two kids were eager to go now. "Heh... thank's, Chara. You be safe out there, buddy. Talk to you soon." A small clever smile on my end. "Yeah. Same to you Sans. Don't you go being a bone head and get yourself dusted either." Click. The last I heard before he hung up was hearty laughter from him.  
  
Continuing on, we came to a cooler part of the waterfall area, a marsh of sorts filling the caverns, long cat tails sprouting up from the pooled water. Intricate wood platforms bridged across it, ancient in appearance, but feeling as sturdy as they day they were carved. I was given pause when something along the wall caught my eye.  
  
Ancient words carved into the wall, with a soft light blue glow to them. I felt drawn to them for some reason. Compelled to look them over. " The war of humans and monsters. A terrible conflict that laid our empire low. Why did the humans attack? Indeed, it seemed they had nothing to fear..."  
  
I walked along slowly, my mind lost to what Frisk and the kid were up to as I read. " Humans are a frightful and powerful force. To them, monsters are like a candle in the wind. Indeed, it would take the soul of nearly every monster... just to equal the power of a single human soul."  
  
"However the strength of humans is also a weakness. Should a human be defeated, that power they possess allows their soul to persist even after death. If a monster were to defeat a human, it is believed that they could claim that soul, and the power which therein lies... A monster with a human soul. It would truly be a frightful beast, like unto a god."  
  
These words filled my blood with ice water, but I couldn't stop reading. "There is a prophecy that speaks of an angel which will make the underground go empty. Some versions say that the sacrifice of 7 human souls will awaken the angel."  
  
Coming to the end of the writings, I paused at a strange carving. Some manner of monster. It looked almost like a boss monster but... there was an intense sense of 'wrongness' about it that I couldn't shake... and yet I couldn't bring myself to look away. In spite of it's 'wrongness' there was a sort of beauty to it... familiarity. Where had I seen i- "Yo, Chara! You coming?"  
  
The monster kid's call yanked me back to reality. The both of them were standing on a raft, looking expectantly at me. I managed a weak smile to them. "Sure. I'll be right over." I joined them shortly after that and we shoved off across the marsh. I spared the carving one last glance before we left.  
  
After a moment the raft softly bumped against another length of bridge-like path. The lighting felt a bit odd here, long shadows being cast in strange ways. The air was thick with magic too. Rows of thick stone pillars flanked it on shores, as well.  
  
The hairs stood up on the back of my neck. "Hey! I'm gonna run ahead and stuff!" God damn it, kid. "Wait!" I called after him, but he was already off and into the darkness ahead. Not about to let him go off alone, I rushed after him, pulling Frisk along.  
  
That was immediately put to a halt when a spear made of glowing aqua-colored magic burst out from the shadows and impaled the wood in front of me. "I have found you, humans..." Oh. Oh bollocks.  
  
Standing tall in some seriously badass armor, the helmet seemingly graced with  jagged maw, and a glowing yellow eye peering from it, she was a hell of a sight. Yeah, no. No way my knife was gonna do anything against that, even if I did want to fight her. "Frisk... RUN!"  
  
I shoved Frisk ahead of me as Undyne leaped unto the wooden walkway. I had to admit I felt more than a little scared... but I was determined to protect Frisk. I'd just need to buy time for them to get a good stretch of distance away from her before I bailed myself.  
  
I slowly backed away as Undyne advanced, another spear of magic in hand. "You are brave to face me human to defend your companion, but now your soul will be mine." Careful steps back, one hand at the ready.  
  
"Afraid i'm not ready to bite it quiet yet, captain." Just barely missing a spear thrown my way. I held up a hand for her to stop. "Wait." She paused briefly. "I know I probably can't beat you in a direct fight...  but if you come any closer i'll be forced to use the Joestar family's 'secret technique'!"  
  
That got her attention. She tilted her head ever so slightly. "Joestar family secret technique?" I managed a small smirk. "Take a step closer and find out... if you're hard enough." I was bluffing SO hard right now... and she called it, her sabaton clanking down.  
  
"I will see this 'secret technique' of yours, human!" Gulping slightly, I tried to work out a plan. "He... hehe..." I ended up with an idea. It was kinda stupid, but it was something. "Here it goes...!"  
  
Throwing my other hand forward I released a handful of magic which burst in a bright flash... and booked it in the opposite direction from her while she was distracted, her enraged cry filling the caverns.  
  
That bought me a little time, but now I could hear her armor clanking behind me as spears hurtled past me. Determined to lead them away from Frisk, I leapt from the walkway to the shore of pillars she had been on before.  
  
Weaving between them, her steps thundered behind me. A shower of sharp stone shards sprayed me as one of her spears missed dangerously close. Dragging up whatever little determination I had, I put it into running faster.  
  
The passages and tunnels weaved and winded until I came out onto a large array of even older looking wood walkways stretching over a yawning abyss. It was at this point that I realized two things. One, Undyne wasn't following me anymore, and two, that I was now hopelessly lost.  
  
With a growing sense of dread, I continued onwards. Old stone and  crystal outcroppings littered the place, and I couldn't help but feel that I was being watched. Undyne was one thing, but this was a deeper and much darker feeling of being watched. A feeling harkening back to the ruins and the forest around Mt. Ebott.  
  
Knife in hand I continued onward... only to find that the walkway completely stopped with only empty air ahead, and a yawning abyss below. My heart felt like the icy hand of death had grasped it when from the all encompassing darkness I heard a child-like giggle, followed by another and another.  
  
Soon there was a cacophony of giggles as I turned around and tried to work my way back... only to find a shadow-like black figure in my way. Small and very much like a child in shape, a thin white line for a smile was the only feature gracing it's 'face'. It's general form seemed disturbingly familiar though.  
  
The wall of sound that the laughter had become died out as they took a step my way, then another. The faint outlines of myriad other figures in the darkness stood behind them. "It's time to play Chara! Let's play hide and seek!"  
  
Slowly they raised their small arm above their head, palm open, then swung it down. With that motion something incredibly fast and dark crashed down from above along the walkway between us.  
  
Nothing obvious happened at first as I clutched my knife, trying to keep my breath even... But then the segment of walkway I stood on started to shake, and fell away before I had time to react. I caught their 'smile' opening like a gleeful white void as I fell. At least Sans would be able to watch over those two... right? I'd bought enough time for them to reach him, right?  
  
Oh god, not this again... As I felt myself falling away from the severed platform I found myself wondering what I had done in a previous life to piss  gravity off so royaly. Falling down was starting to become 'a thing' for me and I was already sick of it. Eventually my luck was gonna run out and I wouldn't survive one of these. This could be that moment. I thought to Sans and Frisk and... mom...  Best to let my last thoughts be about loved ones. "This is why I hate making promises..." And with that, everything went dark.  
  
Silence... cold... pain... A voice. "It sounds like it came from over here... Oh! You've fallen down, haven't you... Are you ok? Here, get up..." The voice wants to help? "Chara, Huh? That's a nice name. My name is..." What is your name...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't all that bad to write, and finally shit has gotten real. Unfortunately the release of this chapter was a bit pushed back by some health issues. Pro tip, kids: Never get a kidney stone. Thankfully that's been taken care of, and i'm still quite full of determination. I have the next chapter, an interlude, done as well but still need it spell checked. Expect it shortly though.


	16. Interlude 4: Promises made under crystal stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A knight and her prince share an important moment. One with far reaching implications. In this moment, an important decision is made.

It wasn't very often we got to leave New Home. Not without an attendant or mom or dad at least. That didn't stop me and Az from sneaking out though. Today was one of those days, and I had gotten really good at it.  
  
Waterfall... It was probably one of my favorite areas in the underground. Hotland was of course too hot, and while Snowdin was nice it also was pretty cold, we weren't allowed to go to the old capital anymore, and the capital just got old after a while with it's monochrome color. Waterfall was simply cool, refreshing, and... just gorgeous.   
  
"Chara. Are you really sure it's ok to come here without mom or dad? I mean... I trust you and everything... but they said it wouldn't be safe." A sad laugh and shake of my head. "Come on. Have a bit of faith in me, Az. Only the really deep out of the way areas are dangerous, besides. It's not much further. There's something I want to show you."  
  
Eventually we came to a field of echo flowers, their soft pale blue glow at all sides. And at the edge of the field, a clearing with a cliff... and a breathtaking view of the entirety of New Home... the capital. It didn't look so grey and dreary from here for some reason.  
  
Crystal stars sparkled high above, simulating a night sky. It wasn't... perfect... but it was good enough. I still remembered the times I would sneak out of my old home to star gaze. Make wishes about leaving that life behind. "See Az? Look at that." I invited him to sit next to where I had plopped myself down.  
  
"Chara... How did you find this place?" He stared in awe. I shifted a little uncomfortably. "It... I ran across it when I wasn't having a very good day... It kinda became my special hideaway place after that." I pointed out toward the castle, lit by the lights of the capital. "And I'm never really far from home, y'know?"  
  
I laid back, staring up at the glinting crystals above. "I kinda started coming here after, to think about the really big stuff." Asriel laid down next to me after a little while. "I've been thinking Az... someday you're gonna be king, right?"  
  
He hummed softly to himself before answering. "Yeah. I guess so. I never really thought about it that much actually... Do you think I'd make a good king?"  A fond smile touched my lips. "I think you'd make a great king. You're such a dweeb that everyone'd love you without question I'm sure."   
  
He looked over to me in surprise. "You really think so?" I gave him a thumbs up. "Of course. I mean, we're best friends right? And when everyone actually gets to know you, it'll be great... but..." After a bit I heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do then. You'll probably be really busy and..."  
  
"Chara..." He gave me a worried look. Always worrying about others, Az... you should worry more about yourself sometimes. "Umm.... maybe... you could be my queen?" A hot flush ran through my face. Queen? Me? Did he know what that all entailed? Mind you I couldn't be more flattered, but my word. "Az... " He smiled brightly.  
  
Asriel's smile... it was the brightest and most beautiful light in my life. My subterranean sunshine. "You'd make a great queen I think. I mean, you're like... strong and brave and smart... and I trust you." I wasn't sure I was ready to manage the lives of other people. I had enough trouble just managing my own.  
  
"I... I don't know... A queen? Me?" I thumbed my hair quietly. "I'm not sure if I'd be ready for that responsibility." Asriel pondered thoughtfully a moment. "Well.. maybe you could be like... my personal guardian knight! Yeah! That way we can always be together!" ...I could get behind that.   
  
"Huh... a knight, huh? Just like in our games? Hahaha... whatever you say 'hyper death'." I gave him a playful jab to the shoulder. Asriel winced slightly at it before puffing his chest proudly. "You dare mock the great deity?!" Oh Christ, Asriel. I couldn't help laughing a bit. "It is not my place to mock you, my beloved rival." A hush fell over the field again as both of us took in the scenery around us.  
  
After a bit I pointed up to the false stars above. "They're real pretty, you know. It's almost like we're actually under a clear night sky on the surface... I kinda miss that." There was a bit of a pause, before Asriel broke the silence again. "A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky..."  
  
He stared up at the crystalline starscape pensively. "If you hoped with all your heart, your wish would come true. Now, all we have are these sparkling stones on the ceiling..." I let a small smile touch my face, as I thought of something.  
  
"Hey Az... What if we still could make a wish? Who knows, maybe those crystals are magic and will hear our wish?" Asriel smiled a bit as well. A little embarrassed. "That's... silly Chara." I laughed a bit to myself. "So? Don't you have any wishes you'd want to make?"  
  
Asriel stared thoughtfully at me for a moment before looking back up. "... hmmm, just one, but... It's kind of stupid." I playfully thumped him on the shoulder. "Don't say that! No wish is stupid if it really means that much to you. Come on, I promise I won't laugh."  
  
Asriel shifted a bit uncomfortably, rubbing where I thumped his arm. "... hmmm... if I say my wish... You promise you won't laugh at me?" I looked to him with a warm smile. "Of course I won't laugh."  
  
He pointed up to the crystal stars above. "Someday, I'd like to climb this mountain we're all buried under. Standing under the real stars, looking at the world all around... That's my wish." A soft laugh... of course he'd wish something like that, the dweeb...  
  
He stared at me with a look of betrayal. "Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh at it!" I shook my head softly. " Sorry, it's just funny... That's my wish, too." The bittersweet scent of the echo flowers drifted through the air.  
  
Absentmindedly I held onto the locket around my neck. Best friends forever, huh? Soft furry arms pulled me into a warm hug. "Chara... I... I couldn't ask for a better friend." A sad smile crossed my face as I hugged him back. "Az... I'm your only friend you dweeb and besides... I'm not the greatest person... You could do better than me."  
  
"Chara that's... that's not true. You're a great person..." I hugged him tighter, as if he would suddenly vanish into thin air. I didn't deserve someone like him. "Hey... can you promise me something?" He shifted slightly, probably to get more comfortable. "What is it, Chara?"  
  
"...If we ever get separated.. and we're scared lost and alone... that somehow, some way, we'll always be there for each other." Asriel didn't even hesitate. "Of course. I promise. No matter what, we'll always be together."  
  
He started to sniffle a bit... the crybaby... "Chara... you're special to me. You know that, right? You're the only one that understands me. Everyone else... they only ever just see 'the prince'. They don't see the real me... I... I don't think I want to let go, Chara...."  
  
I spoke softly and reassuringly. "You don't have to Az. Not right now." I really didn't want to let go either, truth told... "But... we do have to go back eventually. Mom and dad might get worried." Asriel looked to me with damp, pleading eyes. "Just a few more minute at least?"  
  
I felt a bittersweet pang in my heart. How could I say no to him when he was like this? "Heh... Sure, Az. We can stay here a bit longer... I don't really want to let go either." How could I possibly have been blessed with someone like this?  
  
Unbidden, I thought back to some of the glowing engravings further into Waterfall. The ones that spoke of the war... and a prophecy. A way to break the barrier. Dad always said I was 'the future of humans and monsters'. I didn't quite buy it at the time.  
  
It was at that moment I decided, I would move heaven and earth to show him the real stars. I was determined to do what it took to give that to him, even if I had to tear them from the sky. I would become the future of humans and monsters, I could become the angel which makes the underground go empty, and I would do it for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the next chapter, as promised. A bit of a treat for you folks. This was perhaps my favorite chapter to write so far by far. It just... felt really good to write.


	17. Into the heart of darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world reels. Everything is becoming strange and unknowable. The darkness is full of great wonders and terrors. It falls to the knight to strike forth and face these if they wish to survive.

The first sign that I had by some miracle, or grievous cosmic error survived my fall was shockingly not an immediate and crippling rush of pain as one might expect, but rather the soft and soothing sound of water lapping against a shore... shortly followed by a far less pleasant feeling of being wet from the waist down.  
  
Pulling myself forward and out of the water I flipped over and stared out ahead, now seated. A massive lake of softly glowing pale blue water with interspersed small islands caught my gaze. Large swaths of that strange grass lined the small dunes around the ancient lake.  
  
A rather wicked pain throbbed in one of my ankles. Bugger. Sprained, possibly fractured. I hadn't escaped this fall unscathed after all, though still miraculously better than logic would dictate. A familiar pain, but one I couldn't for the life of me remember where I felt. I'd never actually hurt my ankle before today.  
  
Only one way to tell for sure which injury it was that I knew of, and I was in no hurry to try it. Instead I took stock of my supplies. First thing I noticed and most worrying was that the knife I'd been carrying with me was shattered into several pieces, leaving about a third of the blade left. All but useless as a weapon against those demons, and dubious as a tool.  
  
Over all about as cheap a knockoff as I thought it was. It was lucky to have survived the first fall. One of my plastic bottles was crushed beyond repair, though the other one seemed intact... it was also full of that weird blue glowing water. Maybe it could be useful...?  
  
 After a moment I realized something dug into the palm of my hand. Slowly opening it I found the locket had been clutched tight into it. -Lost locket' Def: 5 "Your best friend's. Too important to lose. It feels lonely."- I blinked silently at that information. I could check objects like I could people? I wasn't sure how I felt about what this one told me.  
  
After having checked the locket it occurred to me that I had not checked myself in a fair while. -Chara  HP: 5/20 Def: 17 Atk: 6 MP: 20/20,   Determined, but very much a monster at heart. Despite everything, still you.- Oof... I wasn't looking too hot there with my HP... and I didn't really have much in the way of healing items except...  
  
Checking the bottled glow water... -'glow water bottle' restores 5 HP & 5 MP, can be used twice. "A bottle filled with softly glowing aqua colored water. Makes for an alright light source. Tastes a little strange but probably safe to drink...? "- Something that restored my Magic? Now that was handy.  
  
Steeling myself, I took a swig. It.... really left something to be desired, having a faint briny seawater-like taste to it along with some sort of weird herbal undertone. Definitely an acquired taste, but I was feeling better after having drank it down so it was doing some good at least. Carefully I refilled the bottle with a fresh dose in case I was ever desperate enough to need it.  
  
That brought me to my bag, not far off... and moving. Scooting over, I braced myself for whatever might be inside, and pulled it open to reveal... Well I wasn't quite sure what I was looking at. It was like staring at a white cat, but with dog ears as well, shoulder length black hair, and a blue sweater. It seemed to jitter about and be intently searching for something, the remnants of my last cinnamon bunny in it's mouth.  
  
It didn't take it long to notice me, it's heartstoppingly cute eyes piercing into my soul... and then the cute illusion was partially shattered when it opened it's mouth. "hOI!!!!!! i'm tEMMIE!!" Loud. Very loud. Like a cheerful and overly energetic parakeet. "U-um... hi Temmie? I'm Chara." They stared at me thoughtfully... or at least what I could only assume was thoughtfully.  
  
"Chara? Chara is... a humens? Ure a humens?! Legendary! humens is a cUTE!! Can tem pEt u?" They seemed to have an... exceptionally poor grasp of the common tongue. They seemed harmless enough though, general lack of indoor voice aside, so I decided to play along. "Sure. I'll let you pet me if you tell me why your were digging through my bag."  
  
 They looked around as if to see if anyone else was spying on us before whispering to me as if it was the greatest secret in the world. "Uah... tem wuz hunting tem flakes. Very expensiv." Tem... flakes? What the... "Can tem pEt nao? P!!! fgsfgs" They jittered around seemingly vibrating with boundless energy. "Well, a promise is a promise I suppose, huh?" I leaned down and braced myself.  
  
I wasn't sure what I expected, but it wasn't their paw stretching out and bending bonelessly in a physics defying way like something out of a cartoon. A few soft pats on the head before the now elastically stretched paw retracted.  
  
For my part, I didn't end up all that stunned at this. Perhaps I was becoming a bit too used to all this strangeness. "Well that was... something." They hopped cheerily. "yEP! Somthin is somthin!!" They tilted their head curiously, some of their hair flopping over their face slightly, staring at my hood now. "ooooo~ wHAT's Dat!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"This?" I pulled at it slightly for them."It's a hoodie. Real comfy and warm." Without a second thought they leaped on up and before I could react buried themselves into the hood. Good thing they didn't weigh much or that'd have caused more than a few problems. "Yay!!! tem not colb nomoars! tem liEk!!" -Tem has forced themselves into the party-  
  
"Ah...hahaha... well I'm glad you do." They popped their head out, resting it on one of my shoulders, clearly quite pleased with themselves. "Tem iz nao hoodie Tem." They declared proudly, with a sage nod. God, now I kinda knew how Luke felt having a weird speaking tiny person riding around on his back. The difference being his was at least wise and taught him some valuable stuff.  
  
"Yeah. Good for you I guess, huh? Know a way out of here? I have some friends I got separated from and really need to get back to." They scrunched their face up in thought at my question, before stretching a paw out like Reed freakin' Richards and pointing in a direction. "Dat wai... hoodie tem thinks?"  
  
"Gee. You really sound confident there." I replied with such deadpan sarcasm I might as well be a skillet. Heh. Would have to tell Sans that one at some point. Uneasily I scooped up my bag and rose to my feet. The pain in my leg flared up a bit but... it was still manageable and I could stand. Probably a sprain then. Still bad but I wasn't screwed at least... not yet.  
  
Staggering at a slow pace in the direction they pointed, I could only trust my strange and fluffy guide for guidance. Slowly but surely a figure materialized along the shore. I wasn't entirely sure I was actually seeing them either. Tall, with short cut brown hair and pale skin, a slightly ragged poncho draped over their shoulders and an old battered sword in one hand and primitive spear in the other as they kneeled peering into the waters.  
  
A human. Another human... Down here... but something felt incredibly wrong. My skin itched just looking at them. Their gaze snapped my way like a feral beast before they vanished into the darkness. Two ruby red eyes which seemed to glow in the dim light of the underground. I wasn't entirely sure if it had really even happened, but for some reason that event left me deeply shaken.  
  
Unsure of what I saw being real I decided to ask my strange companion. "Did you... just see another person?" They were silent for a moment before saying "No. Only humens here iz u..." And that reply didn't really help matters. If I hadn't been so bothered I might have picked up on their change in tone more.  
  
Wandering in the gloom, eventually they posed a question. "Does chara hav a favvrite place? i leik Tem village." I sat thoughtfully for a moment before laughing a bit to myself as I thought of a perfect reply. The opening from an old book I once read. I never really figured out it's origin but supposedly it came from the eastern islands.  
  
"The place I like best in this world is the kitchen. No matter where it is, no matter what kind, if it's a kitchen, if it's a place where they make food, it's fine with me. " They tilted their head curiously at my words. I gave a small smile and continued. "I suppose to continue my point, there's one kitchen in particular I really like though. Back home with mom."  
  
Talking helped take my mind off the dull throb of my leg, which was good. Meant I wouldn't struggle as much going forward. What would Asriel think of this situation? I couldn't help my mind drifting to them again. They'd probably tear up, the crybaby, thinking about it. Assuming they were real and not part of some sort of weird delusion I was suffering.  
  
I clasped the pendant close with one hand. It's light weight gave me some level of comfort. Another matter of habit I was finding myself falling into. I kept the scarf tied around one arm as well. It was something I did without really thinking, but it felt right keeping it close.  
  
The lake gave way to a valley filled with a forest of trees. It felt odd seeing a forest after so long that didn't have the snow and cold of Snowdin...  "Loneliness is a terrible thing... It will devour a man from within and hollow them out until nothing is left."  
  
I wasn't sure why but I felt the need to offload these thoughts of mine to my strange companion. "I came dangerously close to that point myself. I was... not a very happy person on the surface. Sure I had a few 'friends' if you could call them that, but no one really cared what happened to me. I didn't really care that much what happened to them as it happens... and then eventually I didn't care what happened to me either."  
  
I gave them a weak smile. "That was almost three years ago. I've come a long way since. If I can't call Toriel mom, then I don't know who I can." They hummed thoughtfully as we passed a cluster of boulders. "tutorial iz importan 2 chara, yaya?" I opened my mouth to correct them on her name, but froze on the spot.  
  
Before the two of us was a human skeleton, bones greatly aged and clothes hanging from it in ancient ragged strips, pinned to a large slab of stone between the ribs by an old looking spear. Their jaw hanging open in a silent scream as one hand grasped the aged wood shaft of the spear which was embeded fully in the stone behind them. The other hand grasped the strap of a surprisingly intact looking duffle bag just barely.  
  
This was a human. A long dead human. "uuuu... scury..." They shifted uncomfortably, bothered by the sight. A grim reminder of the danger looming over us. Monsters hadn't been down here in a very VERY long time... so what had killed this human then?  
  
I didn't exactly feel proud about it, but I was going to take what I could get from them. I had people counting on me, and that meant I needed to survive. Carefully I set about the morbid task and removed the bag from their skeletal grasp... resulting in the entire remnants of the arm falling apart. Ew.  
  
Still, I now had my grim prize, the contents of which I would need to go over. If nothing else the duffle bag would be a better form of storage than my current one. I didn't exactly recognize the brand, mainly because it didn't actually have a brand it seemed, but it was a sturdy built one and it had at least a little something in it.  
  
Kneeling down I opened it and started taking stuff out. Most of it was remnants of what might have at one time been food (ew), a really old busted compass, A leather bound worn book, and... a video camera of the same model as the one I found in the closet? Oh. And a whole load of hardtack as well. That stuff would probablly still be good for the next millenia. Not exactly something that'd heal me... or even taste good like monster food, but it was edible so I'd hang onto some of it.  
  
Dumping out the rest of the worthless junk, I took it carefully. It looked to shockingly be in much better condition than the broken video camera... and a bit of experimentation proved it able to power up. Removing the tape from the old one, I transferred it over to the new one and discarded the broken camera.  
  
"r u sure u wants 2 watch dat?" My curious little companion chimed in. "Yeah... I think I do." They hummed softly to themselves at that. "Olb memoriez can b scury...but tem won't stop u if u sure." Tuning them out a bit, I flipped open the small video screen and hit play.  
  
Nothing at first but black... "Let's see here..." a voice spoke. A soft click and vision filled the screen. "Look at that. I told you I would remember to remove the lense cap this time!" I wasn't quite sure what I was looking at regardless. Clapping came from the camera. "Good job Az. You actually remembered this time. Now give me that. You're pointing it at the ground."  
  
The sound of the camera being pulled from their hands and a surprised shout. "H-hey! Be careful with that! And can you stop with that nickname? My name doesn't even have a Z in it!" There he was... just like in my dreams... "Well maybe so, but it kinda sounds like it does, and hey. I LIKE that nickname, thank you very much."  
  
A defeated groan came from Asriel as he placed his face in his hands. "Charaaaa... You know I hate that nickname." I froze solid. That was undoubtedly my name. Maybe it was another Chara though? It wasn't exactly a common name but... No It must have been me. However these memories where not matching up with the memories I had growing up.  
  
"But you're smiling, Az." And indeed he was, despite himself. A bit flustered but with a happy smile. "I know, and I hate it you idiot!"  The camera shifted slightly. A shrug? "Well if i'm an idiot then i'm the world's smartest idiot." Asriel sighted at that. "There you go with that megalomania of yours again..." A soft laugh from the Video Chara. "Say... how's dad feeling today? I..." The camera hung limply now, giving me a fantastic shot of the ground. "It wasn't a very funny joke."  
  
"No. I suppose it wasn't Chara. I was... really scared when he collapsed. I wish I could laugh off scary stuff like you did."  A soft sigh from the Video Chara. "Az, promise you won't tell anyone what i'm about to tell you?"  A non-committal hum at first before he replied. "I promise. Pinky swear and all."  
  
"Alright... well... I was actually pretty scared as well. That's why I... disappeared for a bit. I couldn't face mom, dad, and you after what happened... I couldn't stand the though that I might have..." A soft thump as they sat down on a rock. "Chara... where did you go?" The... other me gave a small chuckle. "I'll show you some day. I want to keep it my special place a bit longer."  
  
A soft beeping from somewhere. "Oh? It seems the camera's battery's low. Wait. Was the camera on that whole time?" An annoyed grunt from the Video Chara. "So it seems. I don't get how these so called 'machines' of yours work yet. Well, we'll have to do something about that tape later." Click. With that the tape ended.  
  
"I... I don't understand." My hands were shaking a bit, and a chill ran up my spine. Numbness started to set into my mind as I was lost in my inability to understand. I felt like I was going insane. I was starting to lose my grip on who I really was. If I grew up here, underground, with Asriel... then who was I before? Why didn't I remember any of this? Why was it that I grew up on the surface until a few years ag-  
  
"Humen! Pay ATTENSHUN! Iz dangerous her still. we shud keep goin..." Their words snapped me out of that dangerous thought spiral. "R-right. Thanks." Pushing further on, I decided it would definitely be a bad idea to try and watch any more of whatever was on that tape.  
  
Instead I decided to crack open the dead man's journal. It might possibly give a bit of context to my situation. Most of it was... pretty boring stuff about old mineral and water way surveys from about 1,000ish years ago or so and quite illegible. The last few pages though...  
  
At some point in time he arrived at a village at the base of Mt. Ebott, sent there to survey a possible water source from the mountain. When he told this to the locals one of them thrust a sword into his hands, warning him to beware as a monster lurked there which had attacked the village in the recent past.  
  
Some time later there was an... incident. While surveying a promising location they ended up falling into what they were looking for. A sub-terranian water way. Annnnd judging by his flowery descriptions of the area he had wound up in, he found himself down here, which clearly didn't end well judging by the perforated chest of his.  
  
There were stretches I couldn't read since they were in Lucilian. I only learned a little of it, so a lot of it was unfamiliar to me. It seemed to be mostly dry drab observations on the local geology anyways though at one point he lamented missing the Lucilian holiday of El día de los gran carne.  
  
That did raise a question though... what was a hydrogeologist from Lucila doing all the way in Grieland, much less around Mt. Ebott. That wasn't the weirdest thing to come from reading this however. My finger stopped tracing the page at a rather odd note.  
  
"I have not seen hide nor hair of any so called 'dangerous monster' that the people from the village prattled about in my time down here. You would think that if such a thing existed they would beset me by now. There was however a curious surprise today. Someone else is down here. A fellow man, though he dresses strangely like the ancient tribe once said to inhabit the valley around this mountain."  
  
A frown touched my lips. That sounded an awful lot like what I saw. I continued reading in any case. "It took a level of effort catching up to them. Strange though they be, they have been quite friendly and personable after a fashion. I asked them for directions to the surface, that I may be rid of this place. They smiled the strangest of smiles and said that they would 'help set me free'. A curious way of putting it, but as long as I reach the surface I am content."  
  
A few pages described the scenery as they went before finally... "I am beginning to suspect that my strange guide is leading me in circles. This is the third time we have passed this stone in as many days. My supplies are about run out, these abominable crackers aside, and yet strangely he does not seem to need rest nor food nor drink at all. I believe I will confront him about the matter after I finish this page. He promised he would set me free!"  
  
No further pages after that... and dark stains covered the paper. It didn't leave much to the imagination what had happened here. I certainly dare not think deeper on it. Snapping the book shut I cast it aside and picked up my pace. I needed to call mom, Sans, someone. I needed a friendly familiar voice. Hell, even Flowey would do. Pulling the phone out, I rapidly tapped in Sans' number... beep... beep...  An overly cheery mechanical voice met my ears. "I am sorry, but it appears that you are out of our service area, please try again later."  
  
I cast an incredulous glare at my phone, having the gall to say I couldn't place my call. Today I was having decidedly not a good time. Clenching my hand and carefully opening it, I let loose a small flame, toned to the color of my soul and hovering just above my palm. It wasn't true fire magic so it was just as cold as the surrounding air and just about as harmless, but it gave me a measure of comfort in what was an understandably stressful situation.  
  
"Uah. Chara knows magic?! but Humens can't...." I gave them a proud grin. "Maybe not most, but I'm not most humans." A brief calculating look flashed over their eyes before they declared loudly "KEWL!" Ack, right next to my ear! "Can you... be a bit more quiet? Don't want the demons to hear us."  
  
They looked at me confused... or perhaps like I was some sort of idiot. " If U r tryin 2 avoid demons den Y r U diggin up teh past?! Uuuu.... bad tiems!" I went to correct them and say that they were not those sort of demons but as if in response to their words, a wretched chill ran down my spine, and an indistinct shadow started to approach. My breath caught in my throat... until the light cast upon them.  
  
Golden yellow petals and a smiling face. "Flowey...?" He gave a smile that almost seemed genuine. "Boy am I glad to see you, Chara! I was worried for a bit there! Scared actually!" Happy to see a familiar face, even if they weren't... the nicest one, I smiled back. "Greetings, Flowey. You have no idea how happy I am to see you."  
  
"Save the mushy crap for later Chara." He harshly cut me off, his expression a mix of anger and anxiety. "You're not supposed to be here. None of us are. This is forbidden grounds. Not even i'm stupid enough to come here without very VERY good reason."  
  
"And trying not to get murdered by the head of the royal guard isn't good enough reason?" Flowey gave an annoyed growl. "No, it's not. You really ARE an idiot! You know what, just shut up and follow me before we both get torn to pieces by those ghoulish horrors because you want to argue with me til doomsday, and make no mistake, You die now? Everyone else gets dragged down with you. I'd rather not, thank you."  
  
Flowey burrowed forward, digging a small trench through the dirt as he went. Might as well follow. "You know how Frisk and the kid are doing?" I figured i'd ask since he was probably following us the whole way. "Smiley trash bag found 'em and is keeping an eye on them. Still don't know how you get along with that bag of bad jokes and greasy bones."  
  
I shrugged. "Someone who can genuinely enjoy bad jokes is a person with an integrity you can trust." Flowey sneered at me. "Oh? I dunno about that, Chara. Smiley trash bag's got a  few 'skeletons' in his closet, heheheh." Did Flowey just pun? I'd have laughed at it, if not for the lingering tension in the air and the possible implications or accusations he was laying down by saying that.  
  
"You know Chara. If you're going to pull stupid stunts like that then i'm gonna have to stick close to you, at least for now. I can't have you ruining my fun when things are getting so interesting."  -Flowey has forced himself into the party-  Well. I guess three was better than one, and it felt good being able to stick with someone who could also handle themselves if things got bad.  
  
And things were about to get very VERY bad as some far less pleasant shadows encroached on us. Demons like shadowed silhouettes in the distorted shape of warriors with a fuzzy pixilation to their outline and glowing red lines where their eyes should be. "Chara and cohorts draw near!" One of them exclaimed much too cheerily, bringing a vantablack sword to bare at us.  
  
They grinned wickedly, a blood red glow from their gash-like grin. "Let's see here... Chara has HP:15/20... the little Temmie has 5/5... and..." They tilted their head as they stared at Flowey, smile fading a bit. "2,420/3,000 HP?" They murmured with their cohorts. Blinking in surprise I ran a check on Flowey myself. -Flowey HP: 2,420/3,000, ATK: 7, DEF: 0, Can't feel positive emotions but is trying for Chara's sake.-  
  
"Flowey... you're hurt..." A worried frown touched my lips. The fact he had such abnormally high HP was irrelevant next to the fact that he was injured. "Worry about yourself, Chara!" Flowey quickly spat out in a mix of frustration and fear as one of the demons took a leaping slash at me, blade cutting through what little light shown in this dank place.  
  
I just barely managed to scramble back, missing the blade by inches. Their 'eyes' if one could call them that glinted with an inhuman desire for bloodshed. My heart ran cold at the sight. I was broken from this state by something white whipping past my ear and snapping across that terrible face like a whip crack, sending the attacker reeling back.  
  
"You think this is a game?" A voice growled just behind me. I was so jarred by the calm fury of their tone that it took my mind a monumental effort to process that it had come from the temmie in my hood of all people. Their words were so carefully measured, and completely devoid of the normally overly cutesy and noisy tone they usually held. It was practically like they were someone else entirely now.  
  
One of them jeered "Best game i've played in years, and if we kill you we'll be able to fight and fight as much as we like without having to worry about the  'consequences' anymore, heheh-urk!" but their jeering was cut off by several thorned vines constricting around their throat like a jagged boa. "Assholes like you will never be above consequences..." Flowey hissed with untold venom as he blasted them point blank with a load of his pellets, causing the demon to burst into black smoke which rapidly dissipated.  
  
All hell broke loose at that moment. This was nothing like the controlled structure of a monster fight. Hectic, uncontrolled, brutal. Swords and spears fell upon me from seemingly all sides, and it was all I could do not to be eviscerated. Drawing on my magic, I lashed out with uncontrolled bursts, and cleaving swings at anything that looked darker than black in reach.  
  
Frustrated cries and sadistic laughs filled the air along with Flowey cussing up a storm. My body stung all over like one large aggravated burn, but I couldn't slow down. I didn't even have time to breathe, much less check my HP. If I'd still had my knife perhaps this wouldn't be so bad...?  
  
Magic would have to do, and perhaps if I rationed mine carefully I could make it out of this with some MP to spare. 10 strikes per knife give or take, 4 blasts of raw magic to an MP point. There were 3 of the demons left and Flowey was handling one on his own well enough, though his petals were starting to look nicked and wilted, and a frustratedly furious fervor graced his face, eyes sunken and wild and teeth gnashed together like a wild beast.  
  
He was a pretty terrifying sight to behold actually compared to past appearances, lashing thorned vines at his adversary as they cleaved at them. A sharp pain dug into my shoulder as I was preparing to face off against the other two unattended. Pulling away, a cold sweat and flash of pain flowing through me, I found an extra assailant I'd somehow missed in the chaos.  
  
Very much a living shadow like the other demons, this one seemed to fancy itself more of an assassin type compared to it's more knightly companions, with two wicked daggers and a hooded cloak. A cocksure grin touched it's 'face'. I raised a hand to strike them down with a blast of magic but froze.  
  
In one of their hands was temmie, held by the scruff of their neck, a dagger precisely aimed at them. Tem locked eyes with me, courage surging in those dark blue eyes of theirs. "Chara, whatever happens from this point forward... stay determined."  
  
A sickening grin cracked on the demon's face. "Psh... nothing personal... kid." Time seemed to slow as the dagger rose and started it's deadly arc, temmie squeezing their eyes shut tight in brace for the blow. Not fast enough. I'd never be fast enough... but I was filled with determination.  
  
Breathe in... breathe out... between one heart beat and the next I rose my hand, magic and determination pouring over me. Being human means having limits. The more carefully you scheme, the more unexpected events come along... and... every now and then a human finds a way to surpass these limits.  
  
The World. Time had stopped...? No. It was slowed. Adrenaline kicking in? No... something else was happening here. Not that it mattered much to me. This was a chance I was going to seize. Drawing every bit of my magic I could cling to, I drew it into a singular sphere, not much bigger than an acorn.  
  
End it in one blow. "Judgement has been cast." The words left my mouth though my mind didn't fully process where the thought originated. I slung the sphere, air particles burning as it tore through the air, a clean hole bored through their chest,  and with a swiftness everything fell into place.  
  
They staggered back, shocked and entirely off balance, knife falling away from their hand and clattering to the ground before dissolving. "I-impossible. H-how. How did I lose to such a sickening candy-ass...?" I scowled at them as the temmie dropped down and hurried over to me.  "There's a single reason for your defeat. One simple reason... You pissed me off."  
  
They staggered back, barely able to stand anymore, only hanging on by their hate. "A-as... simple as that...? S-SON OF A BITCH! I AM ABOVE CONSEQUENCES! ! I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS RESULT! I WILL NOT ACCEPT TH-" And with their final words strangled off in an anguished cry they evaporated like the others. "Ah... what a pain..."  
  
Even Flowey and the last remaining demon stared slack jawed at the violent tantrum they threw, the demon still tangled in Flowey's vines. The moment was shattered by the temmie speaking in a hushed tone. " A judge..." I blinked slightly in confusion. "Huh?"  
  
They just shrugged before clamboring back into their hood perch. "Humen Chara did gud. Vry detemmined. U can has Temmi flake" They handed me a 'temmie flake' as Flowey finished the last demon. It... was certainly a thing.  
  
It looked like a scrap of construction paper. Felt like a scrap of construction paper. More or less smelled like one as well. "Umm... so what do I-" They cut me off cheerily by saying "U eats it!" I looked down at the colorful thing before looking back at them, entirely blissful. "Um... alright then?" I hesitantly placed it on my tongue.  
  
It... tasted peculiar. Not unpleasant, and not papery either, but also very very unremarkable. Sort of like a knockoff frosted flake really. And being monster food it all but instantly dissolved... with barely any noticeable effect on me as far as I could tell. "Huh."  
  
My attention quickly snapped to Flowey, not in the greatest shape. As I had recalled he'd been hurt before even finding me. I hurried over, though not perhaps as fast as I could like, an injured shoulder compounding my sprained ankle. "Flowey... Why were you hurt already when we met?"  
  
He cast me a baleful glare, perhaps offended at my perceived pity, and with one of his vines pulled something up from the dirt, tossing it to my feet. "Insurance. The previous owner put up more than a little of a fight."  
  
A sword lay at my feet. It... looked an awful lot like the one which that seemingly phantasmal person from earlier carried. In fact... " Who... what were they? The previous owner of this sword?" Flowey gave an unpleasant grin. "A soul wraith. A soul so filled with hate that they refuse to believe they're dead and cling to that feeling until they become something... quite dangerous."  
  
He glanced quietly at the sword, worn with age and use. "Always hungry for exp, blood, and dust, their anger directed at anything and everything living they cross paths with." I stared down at the sword as well, unsure if I should take it given this... context. "Human? Monster? They're all fair game. Bet they had their sights set on you the moment you fell down here."  
  
Licking my dry lips, I downed the bottle of water. "How... do you even know all this stuff?" Flowey gave a sad chuckle. "When you've been around as long as I have you pick up on these sorts of things. Feel free to fact check it if you make it to the royal library though. If you make it that far." I furrowed an annoyed brow at that, but I didn't have the energy to argue with him. Like it or not, he wasn't exactly wrong.  
  
Setting the bottle aside I figured I had to ask. "Who do you think they were before they became... that?" Flowey did the closest thing a flower could do to a shrug. "Don't know, don't care. For all I know they could have been one of the original humans that sealed us down here.  And Chara... don't get the wrong idea." Flowey looked me square in the eyes.  
  
"I didn't do this purely out of the kindness of my 'heart'. I had my own reasons for fighting them so don't you start thinking you can get all buddy buddy with me." I sighed, picking up the sword. -'worn sword' Atk: 12 "An old sword weathered by the ages. It's edge is still sharp as ever though. It reeks of determination."-  Tucking it into the bag wrapped in cloth, I replied. "Trust me. I didn't think that for a second. It's just... never mind..."  
  
The belligerent flower grumbled before pointing a leaf ahead. "The path back to Waterfall proper is that way. You're not far. Now if you'll excuse me, I have my own business to attend to, you idiot." -Flowey has left the party- And with that, the surly flower was gone. "Stoopid Flowr." My tiny companion chimed in as Flowey left.  
  
The path became less and less distinct, reeds growing thicker and thicker. Enough where I had to start using the sword to carve a path through them. At the least it was getting brighter as well. Bursting out from the underbrush, I nearly tripped over a telescope. Back on the path again. Out of the abyss... and almost bowling over Sans as well. "Whoa there buddy. What's got you shakin' a tibi- Chara? That you? And... who's your little friend?"  
  
Frisk and Monster kid were right next to him, about as surprised as Sans was. "Yooo... Chara..." the monster child said, a bit awed by my sight. Maybe. I must have looked like hell. I couldn't help but let a big grin spread across my face though. "Sans... guys... you have no idea how happy I am to see you all." Perhaps today wouldn't be so bad? I could feel exhaustion clawing at me, but I was filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You would think that writing a temmie would be easy enough, but it seems to really take a force of will to capture that oddness and nonsensical feel just right. It's worth noting I almost didn't included Flowey at all in this chapter. I ended up feeling like it'd be interesting to include him in the way I did though in the end. This was perhaps one of the more interesting chapters to write as well since it's completely removed from classic Undertale plot.
> 
> As a small side note I like to think that El día de los gran carne is something akin to a mash up of Thanks Giving and Dia de los Muertos, giving thanks to both the living and the dead with a lot of partying and ending the day with a big ol' whole roasted pig.


	18. Memento Memoria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Let the consequences be what they will, I am determined to proceed.'  
> -James Otis Jr.

Between Sans' rather uneasy look, and Frisk and Kid looking about ready to swallow their tongues, it clicked into my head what this must have looked like. Looking like a dirty crazed sword wielding psycho was definitely not one of my finer moments for certain.

Being the sensible human being that I was (Ha), I dropped the sword pretty quickly upon realizing that. "Eeeegh... Sorry guys. We good now?" I gave a nervous rub at the back of my head. Mercifully the tension deflated a bit from the lot of them.

Realizing I had almost forgotten Sans' question, I continued. "Ah. This here is... well, they've taken to calling themselves Hoodie Tem." The little fluff ball poked their head over my shoulder with a bit of a yawn before spouting a less energetic but oh so content "hOI!" Sans raised a bone brow at that.

"Huh. You made friends with a temmie? Neato, kid. I'm the last person to judge friend choices, but doesn't their enthusiasm wear you down to the bone a bit?" He said with a toothy grin. "Ok, was that joke a bit bad? Be honest. I can take it on the shin." I couldn't help but groan at that one for sure. Worst yet.

Having a moment to look around, I realized that I wasn't actually that far from where i'd broken off from the others to draw Undyne away. Looking back forward, I could see one of those glowing star-like points as well as a table with some sort of pinkish crystal growing on it with what seemed to be cheese encased in it... and...

I couldn't help but stare silently at the pale blue glowing flower ahead. Echo flower. A chill ran down my spine. How did I know what it was? Sure, i'd heard the name before but... i'd never actually seen one before today... hadn't I? I was pulled back to reality slightly by Hoodie Tem's soft content purring in the hood behind me.

"Yo... you ok Chara?" Kid pulled me out of my daze with that question. "Yeah. Sorry. Was just a bit taken by that flower there." Sans cracked a bit more of a grin at that. "Like echo flowers, huh? I figured you were sorta the type."

I shrugged. "Personally I prefer golden flowers actually. But echo flowers look pretty nice as well. Not everyday you see a bioluminescent flower." Sans chuckled at that. "Well if they're still novel to you that means you haven't been underground that long. They're kinda cool I guess, but for most of us at least they're pretty mundane."

I raised an eyebrow at that, noting that even Frisk only seemed dully interested in them. "I suppose that makes sense enough. I lived in the Ruins for a while. Never seen one before." I half-lied. Sans nodded thoughtfully. "Well. Now you can say you have. Ain't that great?"

I went to reply, but Frisk grabbed me by the sleeve and started tugging me in a direction, almost excited. Well, the most excited i'd ever seen them at the least. "Woah. What's got you all jazzed?" They simply pointed forward with a slight grunt as I let them drag me along, Kid and Sans following casually.

They quickly dragged me down what looked to be an old mined out passage in the wall, a telescope and dimensional box next to it. The passage lead to a back room with a more than a little depressed looking pale blue furred rabbit-man monster leaning on what seemed to be an ice cream cart, looking decidedly like he had no idea what he was doing with his life.

Curiously there was also a series of engravings on the back wall like the ones before. However they were partially covered by a menu of 'nice cream' that the bunny-man sold, rendering it unreadable much to my annoyance.

With Frisk gesturing to them, it was pretty obvious what they wanted. Food. It did sound a bit tempting to me as well. And maybe as a bonus I could ask him to let me look at the engravings under his menu? I felt like I needed to know what was there. An important piece missing from a bigger puzzle.

Seemingly not noticing our humble group, the cart operator gave a heavy sigh. "I relocated my store but there are still no customers..." He opened his mouth to continue but I cut him off. "We'll get some nice cream." The poor guy nearly jumped out of his fur at that. Were we really that quiet? "nice cream!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Like a bullet, hoodie tem burst out from my hood making a beeline for the stand.

If he was shocked before he entirely froze up now, as the temmie bounced around like a sentient super ball chanting nice cream over and over in that odd cutesy voice of their's. "Heh. You really know how to pick friends, eh Chara?" With a shocking deftness and ease, Sans plucked them out of the air mid-jump, holding them like a pet cat.

The temmie gave out a slightly surprised sound somewhere between a meow and a bark and paused for a moment before continuing their excitement in the form of rapidly vibrating like a fluffy cellphone. Rather than struggling though they decided to sit in Sans' arms. "I... guess I do, huh?"

Kid's mouth gaped a bit. "Yooooo. You just grabbed them like it was nothin'! So cool!" Sans arched an eye socket, perpetual grin increasing slightly. "Ah, that wasn't really anything special, Kid." They continued to gush over Sans however. "No, man! Seriously! I've never seen anything like that before!"

Having been distracted by the two, I hadn't even noticed what Frisk was up to. "Super! Here you go! Have a wonderful day!" Frisk, looking rather pleased with themselves, well as pleased as they could look with their eyes always closed like that, returned to us with a bundle of what I could only presume was nice cream... and a sponge as well? Huh.

They extended one to me along with the sponge. "Here!" Taking them, I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at how earnest they were. "Thanks, short stuff." They crossed their arms, pouting slightly. "Not short." The decidedly short scholar muttered out insistently.

They never were one to raise their voice much it would seem. "hahaha. If you say so." I ruffled their hair, which they begrudgingly enjoyed, and got to scrubbing the snack advertising graffiti off. Out of the corner of my eye I couldn't help but notice that Frisk was chatting with Kid... and... flirting? Ok, that was a bit of of an eyebrow raiser.

But then Frisk came more mentally mature than someone their age should be. Still... flirting. And ho boy were they a killer flirt. "I'm what? I don't get it, Frisk..." And it was falling on deaf ears. Frisk might as well be flirting a brick wall. Shame... They were good at it, almost frighteningly so. I guess Kid was too young to really comprehend these next level flirts... Was Kid even their name? I just kinda assumed that it was. Oh, the sign was finally washed off now. Good.

The once marred script now shown plain as day, softly glowing in the low light of the room, filling it with a faint blue tinge. "Barrier ahead, and ruins behind. Searching hard for answers you ____ not find. The die is now cast. _____ ___ fallen angel's past. Then perhaps in this ancient cave finally the lost ____ you will save."

...What the shit was this rubbish? The writings were about as clear as mud to me, and with a few small bits missing even after the cleaning I gave it. In fact it looked like someone had tried to chisel it away in haste, and had gotten at least one presumably important bit. Not being able to understand what you were supposed to be saving was a big deal, right?

Rather than make a big deal of it, I just grumbled a little and repainted the sign. "Thank you guys for the patronage here, even if that was a bit of a weird request to add onto it." The blue bunny-man's mood had markedly improved to be sure as he spoke.

"I guess I was reluctant to admit it to myself though." He gave a bit of a sigh. "I don't exactly get a lot of customers here either. Most of them are like the funny little fella there." He pointed to tem, who was using their unusually elastic paw to take massive licks of their nice cream.

"Where were you set up before?" I asked. He rubbed the back of his head a bit sheepishly. "Well... In Snowdin. Took me a little to realize that wasn't exactly the ideal place." Snowdin, huh? Perhaps we'd somehow just missed him?

"Well, i'm sure you'll find more business up ahead in Hotland. I get the feeling the people there would appreciate a cool treat." Frisk also gave a thumbs up and an encouraging nod. It couldn't hurt to help people along the way.

"Probably a good idea to get moving anyways. No telling when a general evacuation order might come down from New Home." Sans spoke up. He wasn't wrong either I figured. Kid looked to him nervously and questioningly. "E-evacuation? Are things really gonna get that bad?" Way to bring the mood down, Sans.

"We'll be fine as long as me and bonehead are around." I gave a confident grin, thumbing to Sans. I was gonna bring this mood back up a bit. And hey, I could throw badass magic tridents at will, and I was wielding the sword of a dude's vengeful soul ghost or something like that, what couldn't I handle?

"R-right." The Nice cream man's smile flicker a bit before he got his composure back. "Well! You all have a wonderful day, y'hear! And be sure to stop by again! Nice cream is the only cool snack that warms your heart!" I threw him a lazy salute. "We'll be sure to."

Frisk waved to them as well before coming to my side and sticking a hand out. "Heh. Want me to hold your hand short stuff?" They gave a firm nod, still with the nice cream occupying their mouth. Using my free hand I took it into my grasp, giving a soft but reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry Scholar. You're not alone." With those words spoken, I took a bite of my own nice cream. Too cold? Not quite cold enough? I couldn't decide. The flavor was good though. Like, super good. It was like eating a dozen fresh blueberries dusted with sugar. It had to be some trick of magic how good it was. I couldn't help smiling.

...It was still not chocolate or mom's pie though. God, now I felt homesick. "You seem an awful lot interested in those old writings, Chara." Sans spoke up, his bony grin not quite meeting his eye sockets. "Sure they're worth wasting your time on? You're still young and full of energy. Don't you feel like that's a bit wasted on some dusty old words?"

Sans... Actually raised a pretty valid point there. "You... I suppose you're right. I just... It feels like they're important." Sans gave what I presume was a thoughtful look before shrugging. "If you think so, who knows, maybe you're right. Just don't forget to take some time to focus on the people around you as well."

He glanced to Frisk. "You've been so gung-ho that i'm worried you're not givin' the people around you the attention they need." Yeah... he had me there. Shit, I'd been so wrapped up in trying to press forward and unravel my own mess of a life I wasn't giving the people important to me the attention they deserved as much.

I kept that little expletive to myself though. Young company was present and mom wouldn't exactly approve. It always felt like she had ears everywhere back in the Ruins. What's to say she wouldn't find out outside of them? Casting a glance over to my two charges, I nodded softly to Sans. "You're right. I should be focusing on them a bit more. Don't worry, i'll make sure they have a good time." He gave an amused raise of the 'eyebrow' at that.

"You're startin' to talk like a Judge there, kiddo." That phrase again... I got the feeling that it meant a bit more than just an ordinary judge. I couldn't imagine myself with a powdered wig and gavel. The context didn't suit that anyways. "Sans... what exactly is a Judge down here? I get the feeling it's different from a surface judge."

Who knows. Maybe i'd get a straight damn answer from the bag of bones for once. Sans eyed me carefully, seeming not quite sure how to respond before eventually speaking. "It's a heavy responsibility. Generally the word Judge is used as short hand for Royal Justice. Their job is to serve the crown and kingdom and... well make judgments... not that that's always the case."

Sans rubbed the top of his head, his bony fingers softly scraping against the surface of his skull as he did so. He was nervous to be sure. "One thing common with all Judges however is that they're powerful... and have the power to see the darkness in a soul." Huh... Sounded like a big deal. Why didn't I read or hear about all this all before?

"They sound like a big deal. I'm guessing the capital has one now?" I mused thoughtfully at the prospect. Sans gave a small grunt of affirmation at my question. Perhaps a bit excited at actually getting some solid information I continued in a peppier tone. "I wonder what they're like and when we'll get to meet them? Maybe they can help us?"

Sans met that with a wan smile, looking many years older for it. How did he manage to make bone look exhausted? "Who says they haven't already been lending a hand?" He responded cryptically... to my renewed frustration. "So we've met them already then?" I asked, trying to cut through the cryptic BS while thinking of who could possibly be the Judge among everyone we'd met.

Somewhere in the midst of the conversation we'd all left the side room and started wandering deeper again. False crystal stars glinted over head... reminding me of the fact that I hadn't actually seen the real stars in a few years. With a tinge of unease I realized I had almost forgotten what the real night sky looked like... I could only imagine what it was like for the monsters who lived most of their lives down here.

The tension filled the air as Sans seemed to consider how he should respond to my follow up question when suddenly a tinny electronic jingle cut through the air from one of his pockets and he looked almost relieved. Pulling a phone out of his pocket he answered it. "Sans here... mhm... Alright. I'll be right there. Just need to take care of one thing quick."

Clicking the phone off he turned back to me. "Some stuff's come up. Gonna have to split for a bit. There's a shop a little ways up run by a retired member of the royal guard. I'll put a call ahead to let him know to expect you. He'll watch out for you and give you a chance to rest up while I take care of things. I'm putting my faith in you, kid."

And with a gentle shove he pushed me towards Frisk and Kid before walking off. Damn it he didn't answer my question! Chasing after him, I turned a corner to finds Sans was just... gone. As if he'd vanished into thin air. What the hell...? Looks like the smiley bone bag would be keeping his mysteries for today.

Glancing back to Frisk and Kid, who it would seem were playing foot based patty cake due to the lack of arms on Kid, I couldn't help but sigh. Well... Sans trusted me to watch out for them. Might as well do that. The weight of the sword Flowey had given me and the responsibility with it seemed to suddenly be that much greater now.

Gathering my courage and focus I moved over to them. "Alright guys. We got a bit of a road ahead of us and Sans is off to take care of some stuff. Good news is he's set us up with a place we can stop and rest. Which is great because I could use some real rest which doesn't involve falling."

Reaching down, I extended a hand to Frisk. Sure, they could probably get up fine by themself, but I was there to help so I might as well. That and Kid seemed to have managed getting up on his own somehow. Probably a skill he naturally developed due to his lack of arms.

Taking my hand firmly, I hefted them up and... they seemed the most worried I'd seen them in a while. "Scared..." they breathed out softly, barely a whisper. Frisk was one of very few words, prefering to sign or gesture rather than speak. This was one of those rare moments she chose to use words... and she was scared.

Kid spoke up as well. "Yo... I'm kinda scared myself... What if... the demons get us and we never see our families again?" I couldn't speak much for myself in terms of courage. I had... done some pretty cowardly stuff to find myself in this place after all. I wasn't going to leave them to be afraid though.

Mustering what courage I could, I put on a confident smile. "Well... You guys know i'd never let that happen." More than words... I needed to do something. "Say Frisk... you remember that song I taught you back in the Ruins, right?" They gave a soft nod.

"Alright... then let's all sing that together. A song of determination, and never giving up on our dreams." And with a deep breath, I began to sing. Putting all my determination into it as we pressed onwards. Frisk for their part hummed along more than sang, but eventually they started singing as well, Kid joining in after a few verses themselves... Asriel, if you're still out there... if you're real... I hope this can reach you.

"Listen up, what can you hear?  
Does my voice simply disappear,  
Sucked away into the void, so empty and so dark?  
If there is more to this world,  
Then I can be can be certain at last  
That this drive burning within  
Has some role to fulfill

I was crushed by the longing welling up inside  
And I had just surrendered  
Without having touched the air above the ground, or the endless sky

So I began to run  
Because I feel it, even now,  
These sensations overflowing in the beating of my heart

It's time to seize the day  
As I am reaching for my goal  
We'll create our own tomorrows 'till this world is finally whole

The answer I have found  
Will always burn within my soul..."

The song finally dying down after a while more of singing, I rubbed at my throat slightly. That had... taken a lot more out of me than I actually expected. My companions were starting to look pretty tired themselves as well... But less scared at least. The hoodie temmie still rested snugly in their spot as well. Did they normally nap this long?

A few of the luminescent blue rivers made themselves known once more along the quiet paths, waterfalls which gave this place it's name feeding them. Squinting my eyes, I caught the faintest glimpse of something behind one of them.

"I... think I see something. I'm gonna go check it out, alright?" I didn't bother to look back to my companions as I pressed onwards, I could feel them just at my back though. I held the sword at my side, in case I needed to defend them.

Ducking under the falls after a moment's hesitation I found myself in a hollow of sorts. Man or monster made rather than natural. At the far back was another set of engravings like the ones before. However this one seemed better preserved. It's pale blue glow illuminating the cave in a strange fashion.

Hesitantly I approached, not sure what I would find. Steeling myself, I read it out loud. "The fallen prince must be by fate's decree sacrificed. Defiant one, If you seek his monuments, please look around. They hold the keys..."

Somehow I felt this had been addressed to me. What did it mean though? The soft rush of wind through the strange hollow continued but... I noticed there was a curious almost musical tone to it as it howled softly. Like a nostalgic tune that I couldn't quite place. Had this cave been intentionally designed so that the blowing wind would make music?

"I... don't understand..." Fallen prince? Fate's decree? Defiant one? It sounded like something out of a fairy tale, even to me. And I lived with monsters and magic. "Yo... this cave is pretty cool. Maybe when everything's over we can use it as a secret hangout base?" Kid chimed in with a touch of awe.

Frisk was even more silent than before, appearing to just stare at the engraving. I'd never seen them seemingly so... at a loss? Before now they'd even at their most troubled, walked with a strangely high level of confidence, so sure of themselves. Now however, it was like they were trying to swim for the first time.

"Heh. Maybe. But we really should get going. It can't be much further to the shop." Gently I placed a hand on Frisk's shoulder and escorted them back to the path. They didn't put any effort to resist, but they kept glancing back at the cave now and then as we went. Worrying to say the least... Perhaps I'd been imagining it, but I thought I heard an angry dog growl as we left.

Mercifully it wasn't much further until we came to an opening in the left wall, reinforced with wood beams, a sign hung over it in what looked to be an attempt at replicating the earlier engravings reading simply 'Gerson's place'. "Well... I guess this is the place. Hope we're not troubling them..."

It was nice to get out of the cold in any case, particularly now that our clothes were a bit drenched. The inside of the shop was nice and cozy comparatively. A particularly elderly looking tortoise-like monster sat at a counter with a slightly beat up pith helmet on his head.

For the briefest moment he looked about ready to have a heart attack, before he collected himself and threw out a cheery greeting. "Woah there! Greetin's! You must be the group Sans told me about! Come in, come in!"

He seemed quite energetic for a monster no doubt far older than me, a toothy grin to his face as he waved us in. Frisk at this point couldn't help failing to suppress a yawn. "Got some old cots in the back there if you all need a rest. Not exactly pretty here I know, but it sure is warm!"

Frisk looked to me questioningly, and I took a moment to ruffle their hair, with a warm smile. "Go get some rest. I'll be with you guys soon enough and you look like you seriously need it." Frisk looked about to protest before another yawn cut them off and they reluctantly accepted. "Heck yeah, sleepovers", Kid managed to tiredly add.  
  
The two of them shuffled into the back, flopping down on said mattresses. Watching them settle in with a warm smile, as soon as they were down, Gerson's focus returned to me. "Wonders of youth, eh? One moment they're running full tilt, the next out like a light. Envy 'em that."

He considered me real carefully. "Been a loooong time since I've seen a human." He paused, as if expecting something. Ah. I should probably give him my name, yeah. "Chara. My name's Chara." He hummed to himself slightly. "Chara, huh... It's a nice name. Anyways, as I was saying. Been a long time since i've seen a human."

An almost suspicious look crossed his face. "My memory's gone batty on me in my age, but you look real familiar to me for some reason. We met before?" Carefully I removed my hoodie, laying it down near the kids, the temmie giving a sleepy almost-meow. The coat had taken on the bulk of the soaking at least so I mercifully didn't feel the need to strip my short sleeve sweater and pants as well.

"Can't say I remember meeting you before, no. You've got no problem with us staying here, do you?" Gerson gave a wry grin at that. "Not at all. Bit iffy about suddenly having two humans over but Sans swears by you, and i'd say he's a very good judge of character! Wa ha ha!"

What was so funny about that? Quietly he went about making some tea using the glowing water of Waterfall. He broke the silence again after eyeing the patch on my hoodie. "Delta rune, eh? Pretty strange seeing a human wearing the emblem of our kingdom. Wear it because you think it's pretty neat too?"

He set out a cup for me, which I took and sipped gently. "Kinda, I guess? More so I wanna get into the royal guard someday. This place is my home too and I wanna help watch out for it." Gerson's eyes (or eye as it were, there was no sign of his right eye ever opening once) widened considerably at that. "A human in the royal guard, eh? Ambitious. Sure to make for a great story to tell if you make it."

He took a big gulp of his tea. "Would have to get the captain to say yes to you though, and Undyne's a toughie at the best of times. Speakin' of, she actually stopped by here not long ago asking around for someone who looked an awful lot like you and your friend there... I'd watch my back if I was in your shoes. She's relentless when she's got her eyes on a target."

I nodded at that, enjoying some of the tea. It felt like my soul was both revitalized and energized. "Thanks for the heads up. I know I gotta face her down sooner or later. Hopefully by then i'll be able to talk her down. Hopefully after that I can talk with the king and we can work together trying to find a way to bring down the barrier without anyone else having to die." Gerson gave a dubious look at that. "If you say so, Chara. Hope you're right, I really do."

An awkward silence fell over the room after that, the light of the gas lamp keeping the room lit flickering softly. Tea eventually finished, I stood up. "I'm going out for a walk. Make sure nothing happens while i'm gone, would you?" I had the sudden urge to stretch my legs before I turned in.

Gerson gave a toothy, honest grin at that, crossing his chest. "Swear it on my hammer. You be safe out there... and take this with you." He shoved a somewhat old looking but functional umbrella my way. I nodded firmly at that, accepting it. "Thanks." And so I got walking, not thinking terribly hard where I was going, but keeping my guard up.

...Coming to a slowed stop, my eyes fell on something. An old statue of some sort, worn away by age and erosion it would seem. A steady drip from far above sprinkling it... Something about this statue... An air of loneliness hung over it. It was clearly not cared for. Forgotten and left to disappear. Unsure why, I set the umbrella up over it, feeling compelled to do so.

The drops of water softly pattered against the umbrella's fabric and with the water cleared I noticed something in a small recess on the statue. An ancient looking music box. Carefully working it out of the hole, I held it gently. From the looks of it, it had been sealed inside the statue at some point.

Heart racing, and hands shaking for reasons I didn't fully understand, I reached towards the winding key, and turned it several times, letting the music box sing after what must have been ages.

A gentle, and seemingly simple but heartfelt tune met my ears. Slightly repetitive, but... it reminded me of a nostalgic lullaby? I felt like i'd heard it somewhere before, long long ago. It was very similar to the song that the cave a while back had played as well.

The more I listened, the more I was enraptured, and feeling like I was on the verge of... something. But with a soft click, the music box reached it's end... and the spell as it was, was broken. Like the locket, I felt this too was important. That I should not lose it. So I gently placed it in my pants pocket.

Starting to feel fatigue catching up with me a bit, myself, I started my way back... but paused on noticing a corridor I must have missed before. I felt drawn to it, like I had the statue. Following it, I found myself in a dead end with another glowing engraving on one side of the room and a piano on the other... and another one of those glowing golden star-like points in the center of the room.

Something in the back of my mind told me that this point was out of place. That it didn't belong here. A small mental alarm of irrational fear. Still I reached forward and touched it. It flashed softly and once more I felt a surge of determination.

'A haunting song echoes down the corridor... won't you play along?', the engraving said, somewhat cryptically. Silently I cast a glance to the music box in my pocket. It had been down that way. Did I need to emulate the tune on the piano for some sort of puzzle?

I took a careful breath. I had once upon a time played a tiny bit of piano as a hobby. I considered myself a better singer, personally, but i'd probably be good enough. Cracking my knuckles I walked over the the key board and gently played at the keys for a bit.

The piano it would seem, despite it's seeming age was still well tuned. It's notes echoed strangely through the room though. Once I was comfortable with it, I dug into my memory of the song and gently played away. Feeling my fingers fly across the piano, I got lost in the moment, playing it in full, before finally noticing that a new door had appeared at the room's back wall.

A few monsters in the area had also been enraptured by my impromptu performance as well it would seem, dispersing when it was finished however. Uncertainly I cast my gaze to the door... "Well... nothing for it." I pressed inwards.

It opened into another room, a stone pedastal at the back of it with another glowing engraving above. A curious crimson orb rested on the pedestal. I felt... I felt something from it. Like it was... Looking for answers I turned my gaze to the engraving.

'Here lies a gift to the ardent knight from on high. To those who -efy Eb---, grasp your hop-s and dre-ms. They are all that will pr--ect you from fate's designs. Go with dete-mination and mercy.' Some of it had been eroded away or deliberately chiseled at.

Fate's designs again. Talk of an ardent knight... Still, it felt like once more they were speaking to me. So this... orb was for me then. I reached forwards, my right hand to clasp around the glassy scarlet surface. If not for the soft glow from it, it could be mistaken for a simple ball. But if it was so simple, why did I feel my hope swelling as I reached for it?

My thoughts were broken once more by the growling of a dog. Whipping my gaze around, I found myself staring at the little white dog I had seen back in the Ruins quite some time ago. And it did not look happy at all.

Still staring it down, I reached behind me carefully to take the orb. It's growl grew as I did so, and the hair on the back of my neck prickled. Every instinct screamed to me that if I moved, I was dead.

Holding the stalemate, I felt my exhaustion starting to catch up to me a bit. Seemingly sensing my wavering stamina, the dog growled again, small fangs bared. Why did it feel like I was staring down a lethal apex predator rather than an otherwise seemingly cute and harmless dog?

Finally something gave, and unexpectedly. Out of the blue, something small and fluffy leaped over the dog. Cloaked in it's sweater still, was the Hoodie Tem. They gave a cat-like growl at the dog, taking up an aggressive stance between me and them.

"Chara is... FRIEND!" The cat-doglike monster flicked it's tail aggressively. "You will not hurt my friend!" The dog's full attention was now pulled to them. Calling back to me over their shoulder they shouted "Take the orb! Now's your chance!"

With no time to question, I grasped the crimson ball as the dog lunged forwards. I'd just have to trust them. Blinding beams of light shot from between my fingers and I felt myself struck stiff, as if shocked with electricity.

A powerful surge of determination poured through me. A flood of memories washed over me as well. Memories that felt distant and alien, yet integral. Like missing pieces finally put into place, yet still missing a full picture. A recurring theme traced across many of them though. Many of them memories I had once thought to be but dreams.

"Asriel..." I barely whispered out amongst the din of raw magical power that thundered through and around me. The dream-like haze of confusion and uncertainty that surrounded just the very idea of Asriel melted away.

He was now an immutable truth. He was someone who existed with certainty. He was someone... special to me. Someone I had cared about more than anyone else. Family, though not by blood. A best friend who had come to mean everything to me. Finally... finally I had something resembling an answer!

A stark realization fell over me as well. I had been here before. The underground. It had been my home at some point in the past as it was once again now. But... that didn't quite follow. I remembered living and growing up on the surface at the same age. I'd... sort it out later.

Both the dog and temmie had stopped to stare. Hoodie tem in awe, and the dog in what seemed to be shock. Memory after memory slowly slotted themselves into place but everything ground to a halt. A sharp cracking noise filling the air. "No... not yet... Not yet! I was so close to understanding!"

Cracks formed across the orb as a dark lance pierced through it, it's bright glow dying away to a hollow and transparent clearness like fragile glass. With a humph, the dog quickly passed through a wall as a demon entered the room, tall and with sleek yet sinister armor. A dragonesque helm crowned their head, and with a motion of their hand they called the spear back to it.

Two crimson eye-like lights shined through the helm, pinning down on me. Like a far more sinister version of Undyne it took measured steps my way, spear raised in one hand. Power and killer intent rolled off it like a wave of miasma.

Hoodie tem backed away near me, ears pinned back with fear. We were both handily out matched here... I had my sword but lacking what protection my hoodie gave me, and faced with something like this, I shuddered to think how this would go.

Still, determination thumped in my chest, and I wasn't about to give in. I scoured my mind for some way out of this. I still had people counting on me. I... I still had to find Asriel! I couldn't die here! Not yet!

As the demon drew near, they silently extended their free hand and I felt my soul forcefully pulled into the open. A vulnerable target for it's spear. "Oh god, no..." I sputtered. Fear started to set in as they pulled the spear back.

No. My story wasn't going to end here! Not like this! Using every ounce of determination I had, I thrust my hand forward and gripped my soul. I was practically running on instinct by this point. And with a swift turn of the wrist I inverted my soul like I had when I unlocked my magic.

Hot burning pain lanced through me, as glowing white crack-like lines ran up my arm and across my body. It felt... like any moment my body would split apart... but something deep down inside... something... No. I wasn't going to die. In fact I felt stronger than I ever had before.

The blinding light slowly faded away, the demon staggering back slightly in possible surprise. Before them wasn't just a defenseless child anymore... With a heavy thud, the haft of a trident thumped to the ground. Embracing my memories I accepted this new power. I wasn't sure how long I could keep using it... but I had to try. Bringing the trident to bear I spoke, my voice now alien to me. "Everyone... watch over me."

Spear crashed against trident violently. Realizing the danger of the sheer power at play, the temmie backed away, slipping back out of the room to not get caught in the middle of it. It was so surreal, like i'd become the knight of my stories. The golden locket, previously tucked away, now hung in the open.

The dark dragoon pressed their offensive, no doubt trying to end this before it really began. Parrying a blow, I retaliated with a full force swing of the trident. While they managed to block the blow, the force was enough to cleave though the stone wall nearby as well.

Having staggered them, I started to charge some magic into my free hand. Hope overflowing as I drew on my determination. I could do this! We could do this! Throwing my hand forward, I let rip a beam of powerful monster soul white magic, seemingly blasting all the air and dust out of the small chamber, and slamming into the demon with great force.

Staggering back, the demon took stock of it's now badly burned self. It's 'armor' seeming to have melted in places. Sensing that it was now terribly outmatched, it vanished, fading away like fog before the morning light. I knew in the back of my mind this wouldn't be the last I saw of it though.

Attempting to step forward, I staggered, suddenly feeling terribly drained. Shakily I corrected my soul and like wind out of a sail, returned to my usual teen self. The sword clattered to the floor from my hands, suddenly feeling much too heavy.

A quick check on myself showed that I had critically low HP. Had I taken a blow I hadn't noticed, or had using that form simply taken that much out of me? Slumping back against the altar, I let out an aggravated sigh. I couldn't keep pushing shit like this forever. I'd have to get back to the shop but... for just a moment, some rest.

Hoodie tem at some point poked their head back in cautiously, before bounding over and curling up on my lap. "Heh... you did good, friend..." I gave them a tired pat on the head. My heart clenched however at the familiar and steady clang of metal sabatons against stone.

With exhausted heavy breaths I reached for the fallen sword. Out of reach... too weak... Growing dread filled me as the pale blue glow of a magic made spear filled the doorway, illuminating my executioner.

"This ends here, human." She spoke. Her helm seemingly giving a sinister gravity and tone to her voice. Holding one arm up, supported at the wrist by my other, I gritted my teeth, and tried to draw on my magic only to find... I could barely manage even a wisp of it. I can't die here...

Undyne pulled back her spear, drawing my weakened and tired soul out like before. Now a scarlet thing ringed with a band of white around it. Determination. Hope. I refuse to die here. Undyne hurled the spear forth... I refuse to di- My thoughts were cut off by a blinding pain as spear made contact with soul.

...After what felt like an eternity, the darkness before me was broken by a soft flash of gold, and my vision returned. I... I was alive? Looking around, I found myself to be back outside the orb room. The piano and engraving untouched, and the puzzle unsolved.

I gently pulled my hand away from the golden star. I had touched it a while ago but... It was like I had just touched it? That wasn't all a dream, was it? It had felt real enough. And... I had died? Had I somehow come back to life?

No. That had really happened, I was sure of that now, and I hadn't simply come back to life. It had to be something else... and it had to do with this star. Processing just what had played out, I said the only thing that came to my confused mind at the moment. "What the FUCK?!" Now of all times was definitely a good time to swear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By god this chapter ended up taking far longer than I care to admit. One part real life stuff and one part hectic holiday prep. Still, i'm proud to have gotten it out... as massive as it is. I tried to focus a little bit more on the interaction between Frisk and Chara as well, though i'm not sure if I succeeded well. 
> 
> My decision to end the chapter the way I did was to in a way demonstrate Chara at her absolute strongest and weakest, and to help outline the stakes a little bit better. SAVE still works for Chara, but only if she loses her HP to something that's not a demon. 
> 
> I don't know if it was the right call not to end it on a cliff hanger though. I almost did, ending it off with the chapter stopping as the spear hit her soul... but I've done something similar several times before already, and don't want to wear that out. The poor girl could use a break from ending chapters KOed anyways.
> 
> We also see some slight payoff from all the way back in the earlier chapters of the story with the return of dog. We have not seen the last of them however.
> 
> As for a bit of detail on Chara's new ability... It's called 'DT Skill - Dreaming Knight mode' and was slightly inspired by FF6's morph/trance skill and Asriel's Hyperdeath form. Drawing on her reserves of determination and MP, Chara grasps her soul and forces it inverted to unlock this form. While in this form all of Chara’s stats across the board are increased considerably and she can cast magic freely, as well as being able to wield the crimson trident like a proper weapon rather than using it as a projectile. The trade off is that it inflicts a gradual drain to her HP due to the strain it puts on her soul, though it cannot kill her directly, instead forcefully ending when her HP hits 1. This also completely shuts down her ability to use magic for a while as well when it ends because of the drain it puts on her. Best held in reserve. Particularly since overuse of it can result in ‘DT Burnout’.
> 
> I had planned to get this out prior to Christmas, but alas it wasn't in the cards. Have this as a belated gift perhaps?
> 
> And yes... Chara is totally singing some Gurren Lagann there, because i'm a fan and can't help myself a bit. Sorairo Days specifically. I'm not sure why, but having Chara with a bit of a musical background seemed right to me.


End file.
